Garofalo friend takes post

Council members and current planning commissioners were unruffled by Councilman Joe Carchio’s decision to appoint Fred Speaker to the commission in spite of Speaker’s connection to former Mayor Dave Garofalo.

Speaker was Garofalo’s appointee on the planning commission for six years in the late ‘90s.

“I think Freddie has got a lot of experience,” Carchio said. Each council member can appoint a person of their choice to the seven-member planning commission.

His previous experience of serving on the planning commission is well-regarded in the community, Carchio said.

Speaker runs an independent automobile-leasing business, S & S Auto Sales, out of his office on Main Street. He did not return several phone calls made to his office for comment. Carchio would not provide any other contact information for Speaker.

Speaker has been friends with Garofalo for 30 years and defended the former mayor at a council meeting in 2000 when Garofalo faced allegations for violating state political-reform laws, according to the Independent’s archives.

Garofalo pleaded guilty to 15 misdemeanors and one felony charge in 2002 involving the votes he cast on the council and gifts he received in office.

Carchio seemed unfazed by Speaker’s history with Garofalo. “I’m not interested in the past,” he said. “You can’t undo the past, you just go forward.”

Carchio said all six of the other planning commissioners were “thrilled to death about him,” and specifically named Planning Commissioners John Scandura and Devin Dwyer as being pleased with the appointment.

“They were just thrilled they would have someone [Speaker] with experience and who is also a longtime resident and knows a lot about the city,” Carchio said.

Sounding short of being “thrilled,” however, Dwyer is taking a wait-and-see approach to the appointment.

“I don’t know really anything about him [Speaker],” Dwyer said. “I haven’t seen how he worked in the past so I can’t comment on that. I’m hoping things work out. The proof is in the pudding.”

Scandura could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

It will be up to Carchio to monitor Speaker’s performance as his appointee, Mayor Gil Coerper said.

Veteran Planning Commissioner Tom Livengood, who worked for six years alongside Speaker, said the new appointee has always conducted himself professionally and has the experience and the background to serve on the commission.

He’s also a team player, according to Livengood. “Sometimes he’s on the wrong end of the vote, but once the vote’s over, there’s no animosity or ill will,” he said.

Speaker is a business owner appointed by another business owner.

“It’s a good idea to have the same philosophy as the person that appoints you,” Livengood said.