The City Council took a first step last night toward the long-planned and long-debated project to upgrade Winslow Way and its underground utilities.
In a 5-2 vote, the council authorized the city to enter into a $135,400 contract with Heery International that will jumpstart the larger $12.2 million project.
The contract will fund initial design work, prepare planning documents, provide weekly updates to city staff and update the city’s project website.
Public Works Director Randy Witt called the contract a “trimmed-down version” of an earlier proposal that had included about $100,000 more for public outreach.
Heery pulled out of the earlier contract late last month after delays and alterations on the part of the city made it impossible for the Atlanta-based construction management firm to meet the specified work schedule. At the same time, Heery urged the city to craft a new contract with an amended timeline.
According to project manager Chris Wierzbicki, the new contract broadens the work schedule by almost a year, transferring its estimated ground breaking from 2009 to 2010. It also directs Heery to seek federal grants to offset city funding.
Councilors Bill Knobloch and Kim Brackett voted against the contract.
“Dollars are very dear to the city right now,” said Brackett, referring to predicted city revenue shortfalls. “And I have a number of concerns about this contract.”
One of Brackett’s key criticisms was that the contract does not use city staff, which would likely cost less than contractors, to apply for grants.
“I believe we can do the grant applications in-house,” she said.
Knobloch warned that the contract will pull the city into a larger project it likely can’t afford.
Councilwoman Debbie Vancil, who said the earlier contract contained too much “publicity fluff,” expressed some skepticism about the new contract’s website and staff meetings allocations. However, she voted in support after receiving assurances from other councilors that the contracted work was limited to core elements.
“These are essential parts of the planning design,” said Councilman Barry Peters. “These are not for a party of a sell-job. It’s for work to enable this plan to come together.”
ANOTHER HEERY CONTRACT SKIRMISH: GANG OF 5 PREVAIL — FOR NOW
Vote broke 5:2 with only Knobloch and Brackett holding the line. Heery marches on. Randy Witt was particularly disingenuous last night about the costs did you see his vacant stare as Ms. Brackett grilled him on his evasive answers. Wow !!
High praise for Councilman Knobloch in holding the line. He kept coming back to the mantra: where’s the money? Actually listening to the group of special interests swooning over the Suzuki property for every manner of expensive feel-good project reminded me of Dawn of the Dead. I felt like a handful of fiscal conservatives (including Knobloch and Bracktt) were inside the shopping center behind the glass and the Living Dead were beating at the doors for their projects. It was wild hearing every special-interest voice last night wanting an early Christmas.
As Knobloch said: Where’s the money? It ain’t there folks.
Oh, and the shill survey saying the stupid public was ripe for a $10,000,000.00 open-space bond. What a fraud that survey was. Let the Mayor pay for it with her own money. Or have Foggy Bottom Chris S. pay for it.
While the vote broke 5:2 for the Heery contract, I don’t think the financial quagmire has ended.
This email on a call for a forensic audit just came across the wires. Copies of this was sent to Mayor, City Attorney, Finance Director, Administrator and Council members. Attached to the original was a detailed explanation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Members of the City Council,
Please see attached memorandum on why a forensic audit of the City’s
2007 Annual Report is necessary.
1. The ending 2006 ending General Fund balance doesn’t equal the beginning
2007 General Fund balance.
2. The 2007 Annual Report shows two different ending balances for the
General Fund.
3. The unreserved/unrestricted/undesignated ending General Fund balance at
December 31, 2007 varies by over $2.8 Million depending on what page you
look at.
Daniel Smith
Even as we seem to have a tip-toe path to Streetscape (Winslow Never), other financial clouds hang over City of Bainbridge Council and Finance Department.
Just earlier this week and memorandum went to Mayor K, Council and Elray Kondel calling for a forensic audit of the City’s
2007 Annual Report is necessary.
The reasons given by Mr. Daniel Smith were:
1. The ending 2006 ending General Fund balance doesn’t equal the beginning
2007 General Fund balance.
2. The 2007 Annual Report shows two different ending balances for the
General Fund.
3. The unreserved/unrestricted/undesignated ending General Fund balance at
December 31, 2007 varies by over $2.8 Million depending on what page you
look at.
Note to COBI: WHEN YOU ARE IN A DEEP HOLE — STOP DIGGING DEEPER.