Wave Maker: Shocking Development

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Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Shocking Development

At while back I related the story about a bar fight between Doyle's Cafe and The Midway Cafe. Remember, Doyle's has succeeded in thwarting The Midway from expanding for many years, and they had, until recently, paid (virtually) nothing for an easement over Boston Water & Sewer Commission land for decades, until the Commission put the easement out to bid, as required by law.

Here's the Boston Globe update:

"The Boston Water and Sewer Commission has decided to convey public land below the historic political watering hole Doyle's Cafe in Jamaica Plain to one of the brothers who owns the pub above it. The commission favored the $5,000 bid by Doyle's co-owner Ed Burke over a $101,000 proposal submitted by Roslindale lawyer Michael Tobin. The commission said Burke's proposal acknowledges that the city will retain an easement on the property, which contains the Stony Brook Conduit, and that the Tobin proposal does not address plans for the property. Tobin said he may pursue legal efforts 'to find out why the city doesn't want $96,000 more than they could have gotten.' Owners of a nearby bar contend that Doyle's has benefited from favoritism from city pols who frequent the historic pub. Doyle's owners allege that a silent bidder working with Tobin put forward the proposal only to pursue a grudge against them."

Get that last sentence?

Gee, why would anyone have a grudge against the Burke brothers?

Supreme Court Justice Lous Brandeis once said, "Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman."

Mr. Tobin, please -- the people of Jamaica Plain deserve to know. Let's disinfect.

Here's a prediction: Mr. Tobin files a request for documents with the Commission under the Freedom of Information Act, receives no response and files an appeal with the Secretary of State who orders the Commission to produce the documents; the Commission ignores the Order and Mr. Tobin goes to Superior Court to get the Order enforced. The Superior Court upholds the Secretary of State's Order, and the Commission still ignores the court order. After many, many months and thousands of dollars of taxpayer-funded bureaucratic foot-dragging, the Commission says that it cannot find the requested documents because they have been "lost."

Footnote: Initially, the Globe's story was quite lengthy and comprehensive. The follow-up piece is quoted in its entirety above. Interesting that the portion of the story that involves the City's behavior in a bidding contest involving a well-connected family would have lost some of its luster as the election season progresses.

Posted by: Wave Maker / 1:01 PM/ |