This story appeared on Page A4 of The Standard-Times on September 17, 2005.

By JACK SPILLANE, Standard-Times staff writer

NEW BEDFORD -- Two of Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr.'s challengers have charged that his controversial handling of a recreational field next to the Betsey B. Winslow School is an example of his poor relationship with city neighborhoods.

Matt Morrissey called The Standard-Times yesterday contending that the excavation of part of the field is "exactly what happens when you have a behind-the-scenes operation making decisions at City Hall."

Scott Lang attended a Winslow PTO meeting Thursday afternoon and told about a dozen parents that the unannounced bulldozing of the field and the depositing of large sewer pipes on the playground was "one more example of this mayor being out of touch with the neighborhoods."

In a last-minute addendum to Monday's School Committee meeting, the mayor had proposed allowing the city to store pipes for a West End sewer project on the field, and to also allow the construction of a temporary, 100-car parking lot. The parking lot would have been used by employees of the nearby St. Luke's Hospital while a $33 million expansion is under way.

The School Committee approved the pipe storage but tabled the parking lot for further study. But on Thursday a private construction company, South Shore Utilities, began excavating a larger portion of the field than the School Committee approved for the pipe storage.

Ronald LaBelle, the city's superintendent of public infrastructure, told The Standard-Times he had thought a large portion of the field -- necessary for a road to transport the pipes -- had been approved.

Mr. Lang charged that the communication breakdown was the mayor's fault.
"The person who proposed it better let his own department know" it was not approved, he told the PTO.

Mr. Morrissey said the controversy shows "a whole new vision at City Hall that's transparent" is needed.

"It's the pattern of this kind of behavior that's got to stop," he said. "It's arrogance."
Mayor Kalisz labeled the candidates' quick criticism partisanship.

"It's nothing more than just politicking," he said. He noted that the two candidates did not attend a recent Shawmut Avenue neighborhood meeting in which neighbors were concerned about a homeless shelter for families locating in a residential neighborhood.
"Scott Lang and Matt Morrissey run around and tell me I'm not involved in New Bedford neighborhoods but when the tough decisions come up, where were they?" he asked.

In a related development, Councilor-at-large Brian K. Gomes said yesterday that at the next council meeting he will call for an investigation of the Bigelow School excavation and improvements to the quality of the baseball field when the playground is restored.
Mr. Gomes is a former mayoral opponent of Mr. Kalisz.

Contact Jack Spillane at jspillane@s-t.com

This story appeared on Page A4 of The Standard-Times on September 17, 2005.