When former council president Barry LaCasse was formally introduced to his former colleagues last week as the mayor's candidate for the job of director of budget and administration, he heard two names, neither of which were his given names.

The first was an innocent mistake and the second was calculated, but good-natured, ribbing.

Walter Thibodeau, chairman of the council's personnel and human services committee, stumbled verbally when he introduced LaCasse by mistakenly saying Barry K. Casse.

That prompted one colleague to say "how soon they forget" and another to launch a friendly dart at his former leader, saying he was very familiar.

"Oh yeah, it's Barry Two-Vote," the other councilor said.

The councilor was referring to the time when LaCasse had controversially cast two votes in a joint committee meeting. At the time, LaCasse argued he could legally cast two votes because he's a member of all committees as president.

The city solicitor later issued an opinion that while there are no rules against casting two votes, there probably should be.

The annual Soup for Heat event held Saturday by Helping with Energy Assistance Together raised $2,660 after expenses for the cause of providing heating fuel for cash-strapped homeowners who don't qualify for other aid.

"We were very pleased with the turnout," said HEAT president DeAnne Auclair.

But in case someone missed the fourth annual event, donations are always welcome, said HEAT member Vicki Nason, especially this year. "With the increase in oil prices, we've been inundated with requests for help," she said.

Auclair said special thanks are due to Bay State Gas, which donated $1,500 to help with expenses, and BJ's Wholesale Club, which contributed a $300 gift certificate good for ingredients to HEAT's homemade Santa Fe Stew.

Meanwhile the grass roots energy assistance effort seems to be spreading.

Both Seekonk and Rehoboth are mounting similar efforts. "Our idea is catching on," said Auclair. "I hope they can be as successful."

Marylee Pompeii of Terry Drive won the door prize, a baseball autographed by Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield. Freshman city councilor Bill Bergevine helped out as a celebrity server and was very impressed by the effort, which is run mostly by city employees who formed the group about four years ago.

Bergevine fired off an e-mail of praise the day after the event.

"It's organizations like HEAT that make Attleboro one of the Best Places to Live in 2008 as listed in Boston Magazine," he said. "But that only happens when people like you take a stand and say we are not going to sit by and do nothing."

GEORGE RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.

Three city employees came in for high praise from the city council last week at their reappointment hearings.

Linda Alger, the city council's administrative assistant, Deb Gould, city auditor and Jim Castro, the council's financial analyst were literally applauded by the panel.

They each were awarded a round of applause for a job well done by the 11 councilors.

Chairman of the personnel committee Walter Thibodeau said Alger is crucial to the board because she keeps them in line administratively, and that Gould does the same thing with facts and figures.

Thibodeau said Castro's accounting skills are invaluable during budget time when precise information is needed as the council analyzes the city's $100 million spending plan.

GEORGE W. RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.