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News Articles

*** The Herald News has a new website, links to their previous site may no longer be operational. 

Press Releases   

October 9, 2007  

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza’s Campaign Committee releases  results of survey

This past summer, the Miozza campaign decided to give seniors a survey.  The survey, conducted in twelve (12) senior housing developments, was designed to determine what issues seniors were concerned about.  The campaign collected over 300 responses.   A series of questions sought to identify the most important issues facing the City (see attached document).  Results from the survey found that the number one issue for seniors, was a tie between Public Safety and the Cleanliness of the City, with 88% expressing concern.  Sometimes the seniors expressed their concerns in very direct, uncompromising terms.  For example: “Down town is a mess!”  The Miozza Action Plan, written last January, addresses both of the senior concerns and much more.  One surprising result of the survey was that contrary to popular belief; education is an important issue for seniors.  

The seniors were also asked “if they had the power to fix one issue or concern with the City what would they fix.”  The most frequent response was addressing public safety and many stated they would put more police on the street.  Interestingly many seniors responded that the one thing they would like to fix is the current City Hall by “mowing it down or knocking it down.”

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza said, “One of my core beliefs is to represent the people of this city, not special interests.  The senior citizen survey is an example of efforts on that behalf. And some great ideas came from seniors, such as setting up a trolley that would bring them to Heritage Park and back.”  For more details on the Miozza “Action Plan”, visit www.miozzaforcity council.com

August 2, 2007  

In light of an apparent rat epidemic, Mayoral candidate Eric M. Poulin and City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza are coming together to reiterate solutions to litter problems contained in their mayoral and council platforms respectively, and both men are issuing specific challenges to current elected officials.    

Mayoral Candidate Eric M. Poulin was joined today by City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza to discuss litter issues in the City of Fall River. (Both men have worked together in the past and continue to work together in the present to oppose the Hess LNG import terminal.) The two office seekers decided to come together again in light of recent news regarding an apparent rat epidemic in the city. Both men have been proactive in terms of developing solutions to litter problems in the City of Fall River and have included these solutions in their respective platforms for elected office. The two men are taking the time today to reiterate the portions of their platforms dealing with litter and are issuing specific challenges to current elected officials.

            Mayoral Candidate Poulin said, “I love Fall River, it is my hometown, but if we want people to take pride in their city then elected leaders need to make sure that the city is leading by example. The current Mayor proposed and the City Council endorsed a plan in 2004 called ‘Clean & Green,’ which promised the ‘development of a plan to expand street sweeping beyond major thoroughfares into neighborhoods.’ (A copy of that plan is attached.) I believe that there is no reason why some city streets have gone years without seeing a street sweeper. It’s one of the most basic functions of city government, to clean the streets, and it is not being done correctly or in some cases at all here in Fall River. My mayoral platform calls for the development of a street sweeping program that would get into all of the city’s neighborhoods on a regular basis. I believe that we have the machinery and the manpower and that it is a matter of establishing a formal schedule. (If it is argued that we don’t have the machinery then I think this would be a good opportunity to tap into the BFI settlement money, as the purchase of additional street sweepers would be a one-time expense and well worth it.) Other cities have street sweeping schedules and I don’t believe that this matter is what some would call ‘rocket science.’ Since citizens have to pay their tax bills quarterly I believe the eventual goal should be for every city street to see a street sweeper at least once every 3 months. Since there are several City Councilors running for Mayor I’d like to issue a challenge to them to do something now with their existing power and pass a resolution calling for the city to develop a formal street sweeping schedule. This certainly should have been done years ago, but if the public is to believe that certain City Councilors will clean our streets after they become Mayor, I think that they need to prove that they are trying to do what they can with their existing power.”

City Council Candidate Miozza said, “I believe the visual environment plays a role in determining whether people want to move to Fall River and whether businesses decide to settle in our city. If you listen to local talk radio there is lots of support in the community for changing the appearance of the city. The City needs to start a comprehensive cleaning initiative. One solution the City should consider is the permanent reinstatement of litter enforcement officers. They could monitor known illegal dumping sites and issue fines. Only through a sustained effort will we establish the cleanliness of the City. To cover their salaries, the city can divert a portion of the collected litter fines. I believe that litter and industrial eyesores around the city should be addressed sooner rather than later because this is an issue that affects both public safety and economic development. A cleaner community increases civic pride and will make Fall River a healthier, safer place to live, work and play. I want to challenge all incumbent City Councilors to work together to pass a resolution calling for the reinstatement of Litter Enforcement Officers.”

Both Poulin and Miozza stated that they were not looking to criticize the city’s Health Department or Minimum Housing office whom they believe are attempting to do what they can, but rather are simply calling for the city to invest more into fighting litter and improving the city’s cleanliness and overall appearance. Both gentlemen noted that properties that have become filled with trash and/or are choked with weeds and overgrown grass have likely become breeding grounds and havens for rats. The two men pointed out that the city has a program for properties such as these, and that it is fine to have a program ‘on the books,’ but that it should be enforced. The city’s “Clean & Lien” program states that, “When an owner of a property refuses to address a blighted condition in particular on a vacant parcel of land the city, utilizing various state statutes, will cite the owner, and upon failure of the owner to remedy the situation, the city would have the ability to enter onto the property and remove the blight and lien the property for the cost of remediation.” Both men are also challenging the city to apply this measure more often as a means of working to aggressively clean up Fall River. (An explanation of the Clean & Lien Program Process is attached.)

Poulin explained that it was his belief that the city eliminated its Litter Enforcement officers in 2002 after a round of budget cuts and that their responsibilities for enforcing the litter laws were transferred to the city’s Minimum Housing office. Poulin notes that the two inspectors working for Minimum Housing already had many duties including responding to complaints about vermin such as cockroaches and rats and that saddling these two inspectors with litter enforcement duties on top of their pre-existing duties seems to have led to a lot less litter enforcement actually occurring. Poulin agreed with Miozza’s call to reinstate Litter Enforcement officers and noted that with all of the litter around the city if these officers issued enough fines then they might be able to pay for all or a portion of their own salaries or perhaps even bring in additional revenue for the city. In an article that appeared in The Herald News on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 entitled “City’s ‘Rat Patrol’ seeing more action,” Fall River Director of Health & Human Services Michael Coughlin noted, “There are two inspectors for the whole city.” Miozza and Poulin stated that it might be better if any “heat” being placed on the city’s Health Department or Minimum Housing office by citizens gets redirected instead to the City Council and Mayor because they are in a better position to help city departments attempt to remedy the situation by implementing solutions to the city’s litter problems such as those suggested by Miozza and Poulin.

Miozza and Poulin are also calling on the city’s State Representatives to utilize their contacts at the state level to pressure MA Highway to do a better job of keeping their property in the city clean, such as on and off ramps that lead into and out of the city. Miozza and Poulin agreed that properly maintaining the appearance of the city’s highway entrances and exits should be given a higher priority by those representing Fall River up on Beacon Hill.     

May 2, 2007  

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza and Mayoral Candidate  Eric M. Poulin update the public and the media on the fight against Hess LNG.

In an ongoing effort to keep the public and media informed with regard to the fight against Hess LNG, City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza and Mayoral Candidate Eric M. Poulin are providing the following information:

1.       The City of Fall River and Michael L. Miozza’s lawsuit vs. FERC in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is moving forward. The city’s Washington, D.C. based law firm of Berlin, Hyman and Taylor will be arguing the case before the court on Friday, June 8^th at 9:30 a.m.

2.       Weaver’s Cove has been forced to admit that they failed to file paperwork in a timely fashion with regard to certain contaminants found on their proposed LNG site. The site is now deemed a default Tier 1D site and the MA Department of  Environmental Protection (DEP) will require Hess to hold public hearings. If the city follows through correctly, this development may delay the project significantly, possibly by years.

3.       The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office notified Mr. Miozza on April 10^th that the Coast Guard has granted the City of Fall River a 90-day comment period because Weaver’s Cove has provided new/supplemental information and simulations to the Coast Guard regarding the potential for smaller tanker ships maneuvering between the old and new Brightman Street bridges. Mr. Miozza confirmed the existence of the 90-day period with Mr. Edward LeBlanc of the Coast Guard’s Providence Marine Safety Office (MSO) in East Providence.

Mr. Miozza and Mr. Poulin believe that the city’s Congressional delegation, elected officials and the public if they are not aware, should be made aware, and lobbying and pressure should be placed on the Coast Guard so that they do not back off the previously stated concerns that they raised with regard to Hess’ plans to bring in smaller tanker ships back in March of 2006. A few years back the U.S. Navy raised concerns with the project but then abruptly withdrew them. Mr. Miozza and Mr. Poulin feel that shining a spotlight on this Coast Guard issue and public scrutiny on their process may make it more difficult for the Coast Guard to back down if they are in fact under pressure by the Bush Administration to do so.

The Coast Guard is expected to issue a decision with regard to this Letter of Recommendation or LOR process by the end of the spring. A favorable LOR would mean Hess could move forward with seeking additional permits for their project from the Army Corps of Engineers and many other federal, state and local entities. A negative ruling could effectively kill the project pending any potential appeals or legal or other maneuvers by Hess.

4.       The Coalition for Responsible Siting of LNG initiated contact with the MA Executive Office of Public Safety to request a meeting. The Executive Office of Public Safety subsequently contacted the Mayor’s Office and a meeting was scheduled with the Office of Public Safety and the Mayor on April 19, 2007, and following their meeting the Executive Office of Public Safety met with the Coalition.

5.       S. 1174 was introduced in the U.S. Senate on April 19, 2007 and H. R. 2042 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 25, 2007. Both bills propose to modify the Natural Gas Act so that in addition to FERC approval, a private entity proposing an LNG import terminal must also secure state approval of their project. Both bills stipulate that “The Commission shall not approve or deny an application under subparagraph A (of the Natural Gas Act) without the express concurrence of each State affected by the application.” The House bill goes even further then this by stipulating that, “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) shall require an applicant for approval, by the Commission under the Natural Gas Act, of the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a liquefied natural gas facility to identify each of their employees or agents that are engaged, directly or indirectly, in activities to persuade communities of the benefits of such approval. The Commission shall maintain a publicly available database listing all such employees and agents.”

Mr. Miozza and Mr. Poulin believe that the city should assist its Congressional delegation with lobbying on behalf of the House bill by providing them with written and/or oral testimony that could prove useful.

April 25, 2007  

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza believes the City of Fall River should take the Weaver’s Cove site by eminent domain if the Coast Guard rules against the project this spring

                City Councilor Candidate Michael L. Miozza is asking the Fall River Redevelopment Authority to create a plan for obtaining the Weaver’s Cove site should the City be successful in its fight against the project proponent. 

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza said, “Given that the Coast Guard appears ready to make a decision regarding the Weavers’ Cove Project by the end of spring, should the Coast Guard rule against Weaver’s Cove, which means they will be unable to bring their LNG vessels to the terminal, the city should take the site by eminent domain.   Due to the extraordinary population growth along North Main Street to the Freetown line, this site could be redeveloped into a north end park, providing open space for a growing population. It is incumbent that the city has a plan in place to secure this valuable piece of waterfront property.     I believe the Fall River Redevelopment Authority should be setting money aside for the purchase of this land.  The citizens of Fall River must not be placed in the position of having to fight another industrial project that jeopardizes their safety.  They should not have to bear the burden of legal fees and the cost of hiring experts.  The Redevelopment Authority ought to do everything possible to gain control of this precious site.  There are many American cities that would consider themselves fortunate to have waterfront property like we have here in Fall River.”

April 23, 2007 

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza requests that the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety create a Joint Task Force to determine whether a viable Emergency Evacuation Plan can be created for the Weaver’s Cove Project

               City Councilor Candidate Michael L. Miozza has sent a letter to Massachusetts Public Safety Secretary Kevin Burke requesting his agency create a joint task force of the Massachusetts departments of Public Safety, the Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Fire Services, Homeland Security, and knowledgeable members of the public to include LNG experts in public safety. 

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza said, “Given that the Coast Guard appears ready to make a decision regarding the Weavers’ Cove Project by the end of spring it is incumbent that our state agency responsible for public safety informs the public whether a viable emergency evacuation plan can be created for this LNG project. This plan should be based on the numerous scientific studies regarding LNG and the comprehensive plan created for the Cove Point Maryland LNG terminal.  This plan cannot be a disaster recovery plan but a detailed plan that demonstrates the ability to safety evacuate the 12,000 people in a mile one area surrounding the terminal.  I have maintained from the inception of the project that one death as the result of increased energy supply is one death too many given the numerous reasonable alternatives available to the project proponents.”

January 31, 2007  

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza requests that an Action Plan with a timeline be established immediately for surveillance camera installation in Fall River. 

            At a recent public safety meeting held at the Edward F. Doolan Apartments to discuss issues and concerns related to the shooting at Bennie Costa Plaza, it was announced that surveillance cameras were being considered as a deterrent to criminal activity.  During that public safety meeting, attendees were told a meeting was to be held in the Mayor’s Office on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 to discuss these cameras.

City Council Candidate Michael L. Miozza said, “A week has past since we were told about a meeting with public officials to discuss surveillance cameras, and to the best of my knowledge there has been no update provided to the public nor has anyone from the public been told when we can expect the cameras to be installed. This is not the first time the public has been told that the city was considering the installation of surveillance cameras. In March of 2006 the public was told during a Flint Neighborhood Association emergency meeting to discuss the shooting incident on Quequechan Street that the city was considering the installation of up to 20 surveillance cameras.  I believe an action plan should be developed, which would include a timeline for purchasing and installing the cameras, and this action plan should be shared with the community.

The city of Chelsea, Massachusetts has surveillance cameras installed, which city officials believe act as a deterrent for gangs, vandalism, drug trafficking and graffiti. We need to develop and institute an action plan or we must simply stop promising something we do not intend to deliver.”

January 17, 2007  

New ideas and change may be coming to the Fall River City Council:
Michael L. Miozza announces he will run for City Council