Two city managers announce runs for Sal LaMattina's council seat

On the contrary, why not encourage competent and experienced city employees to make their case for elected office in city government?

Hack is not a synonym for government employee although conservative talkers would make you think so.

NOUN

a rough cut, blow, or stroke:
"he was sure one of us was going to take a hack at him"

informal
an act of computer hacking.

After the above article was published, it came out that City Hall lied about him not being involved in IndyCar scam--until Herald FOIAed.

Oh, and he’s not Director of Operations for the Transportation Department, he’s Director of the Transportation Department’s “sign shop” – that sounds legit!

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Emails show Marty Walsh aide in on failed Grand Prix
Boston Herald
January 13, 2017

A top aide to Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Stephen Passacantilli — whose brother was the City Hall lobbyist for the failed Grand Prix of Boston — participated in early meetings on the proposed IndyCar race, according to new emails that appear to dispute the city’s longtime insistence he had no role in the event.

Passacantilli, who was a special adviser to Walsh, met with then Grand Prix CEO Mark Perrone in 2014, and later took part in a key early meeting at City Hall where the IndyCar race idea was discussed, emails obtained by the Herald show.

Passacantilli also got invites to at least one other meeting in 2015 even though he had already left City Hall and moved to the transportation department as operations director of the city’s “sign shop.”

Passacantilli’s brother, Dan, was a key member of the Grand Prix team, leading the lobbying effort at City Hall. He earned about $40,000 for his efforts, according to documents released in bankruptcy court. Dan Passacantilli also had a small equity share in the Grand Prix which could have paid off if the race was successful. Both Passacantillis were involved in Walsh’s 2013 campaign.

The Herald first asked Walsh’s office about Stephen Passacantilli’s role in the race early in 2015 and was repeatedly told that he had “no role” or involvement in the event.

But emails obtained by the Herald from a public records request show Passacantilli was actually one of the first Walsh administration officials to meet with the head of the Grand Prix. He also participated in a July 2014 meeting of the city’s special events committee dealing with the IndyCar race, city officials disclosed.

Passacantilli was also among a small group of top Walsh aides invited to a Dec. 16, 2014, meeting with Mark Miles, the president of the national IndyCar race circuit.

Passacantalli got an invite to another Grand Prix meeting on March 31, 2015, but did not attend, officials said.

Emails also show he was invited to the May 21 IndyCar announcement by Dino DiFronzo, who worked with Passacantilli’s brother as part of the Grand Prix team.

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Fast track from nobody to City Hall player
Boston Globe
January 2, 2016

In May 2014, five months into the new administration, e-mails show, O’Donovan sought a favor from a friend — Stephen Passacantilli, then a special assistant to Walsh at City Hall, whom O’Donovan had known for many years. O’Donovan had also represented him in an unrelated 2011 court case.

O’Donovan wanted help pitching Bio-Organic Catalyst, a California cleaning product maker, to Dennehy, the public works commissioner, and to Henry F. Vitale, executive director of the Water and Sewer Commission.

In an e-mail to Passacantilli, O’Donovan described one of the company’s products and inquired: “Can I ask you to forward this to Mr. Denehy [sic] & Mr. Vitale.”

Subsequent e-mails suggest that O’Donovan obtained an in-person meeting with top public works officials two days later.

Within a week, O’Donovan was writing Dennehy directly, and offering to drop off a free sample for the department to test.

“It sounds like a great product,” Dennehy wrote back. And in another e-mail: “Thanks Sean. We look forward to working with you.”

The Boston Water and Sewer Commission in 2015 spent $17,875 on products from Bio-Organic Catalyst, the commission confirmed.

O’Donovan’s friendship with Passacantilli opened doors for O’Donovan’s legal business as well.

This past October, Passacantilli — by then director of operations in the transportation department — hooked up O’Donovan with Edward Hesford, supervising traffic engineer, to discuss a residential project proposed by a developer O’Donovan represented.

“Eddie,” Passacantilli wrote to Hesford, “I mentioned to you yesterday I needed some help connecting you and a friend of mine doing work in Beacon Hill . . . Sean is a great guy and friend. I would appreciate it if you could find time for him and help him out with some questions he has regarding the project.”

Hesford responded five minutes later: “Glad to help.”

Just this past Thursday, O’Donovan filed notice to the BRA for the project, a 75-unit condo development at 33-61 Temple St.