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This publication is dedicated to & maintained by those of us who really care about this city. We are many --- (and growing stronger with more people joining our ranks everyday). We are the nameless, faceless city, county, state & federal workers who are sick of the good ole boy system here in Houston, Texas --We were born on 7-30-1999. We are --- married & single-male & female, maintenance worker to Deputy Directors. We are the faceless civil servants who year after year do our job. We are the one's who see the hard earned tax $$s of the citizens in this area used & abused and given away to enrich a few greedy people with each new administration. Our hobbies include: Watching our backs---as we try to bring you the truth of what is happening in Houston, and getting the REAL information out to the public. This publication is our collective voice.
THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR EVIL TO TRIUMPH IS FOR GOOD MEN & WOMEN TO DO NOTHING....ONE BRAVE MAN OR WOMAN MAKES A MAJORITY
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"The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands on positions of comfort and convenience but where he stands on positions of challenge and controversy. So on some questions cowardice asks, 'Is a position safe?' Expediency asks, 'Is the position politic?' Vanity asks, 'Is the position popular?' But conscience asks, 'Is the position RIGHT?'" -- Dr. Martin Luther King
Our Letters section was so successful last week, we decided to leave this
section up for awhile & we've added to it...Just click on the letters above
to see them....
This one letter...we just had to put here on the front page...really makes one wonder.....HMMMMMMMM
Subj:
Date: 1/28/00 10:11:14 AM Central Standard Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
I found this in the
"Code of Ordinances" section 14-58:
CODE OF ORDINANCES
Chapter 14 CIVIL SERVICE*
ARTICLE II. RULES*
DIVISION 4. RULE 4. CLASSIFICATION PLAN
Sec. 14-58. Interpretation of specifications.
(3)The commission shall prescribe minimum and maximum age requirements of applicants for appointment to particular positions. The minimum age for employment in the classified service of the city shall be 18 years. And for all classes, qualifications such as citizenship, honesty, sobriety, industry, and good physical condition, shall be deemed to be required even though they may not be specifically mentioned in the definitions of the positions.
Maybe I'm way off but I interpret this to read you have to be a citizen to be a City
employee, and didn't you say that Bahl became a citizen after leaving the City. ( 'course the honesty part would probably disqualify more people than the citizenship clause )
Darlin, we will have to check into this ...but if it's true...that would mean MANY of our so called "Directors & Asst. & Deputy Directors" would be holding jobs illegally...hmmmm, Showri....are you a citizen?...we'll have get back to you on this one. We will be checking with the Secretary's office on this, there could be amendments we aren't aware of that allow for the employment of non-citizens...and we don't want to hurt the little guy.
Ya'll remember back in HOUSNITCH when we talked bout the incompetence of Sandy
Stone, P.E.?...and the P.E. stands for physical education...not Public Engineer?
well, she's out trying to blame everybody but herself & her department. This
is how Ms. Stone & Robert McGuffey cover up their mistakes. ~~>HL&P<~~
They are placing the blame on HL&P for the 4,074...400-Watt HPS street
lights that are in the city's inventory. That we have been paying for. First of
all Robert McGuffey is responsible for monitoring the inventory that is SWIS. He
should have caught all those mistakes that they are trying to blame on HL &
P BEFORE the city started paying the monthly billing on them. IF you
remember...some of those conversions are as far back as January, 1999. This was
brought to Ms. Stone's attention several months before Housnitch reported
it...but no action was taken until we did. And still not one employee has faced
any consequences concerning this matter. Look at the date on the letter to poor
Carlton Porter, and how much time he was given to correct the city's mistake....DON'T
LET THE CITY GET AWAY WITH IT CARLTON!!!!!!
The only thing to befall Mr. McGuffey is that he had some of his duties/responsibilities taken away from him. No demotion, no cut in pay...just a reduction in the amount of work he has to produce...that's how it is with the city. SCREW UP, BLAME SOMEONE ELSE.. keep salary, get less work.... Maybe all of us should start doing this caliber of work. Naw...some of us take pride in what we do.
IF McGuffey had monitored the inventory, & Sandy Stone wasn't so busy using her city vehicle to move her belongings this wouldn't have happened. WHO'S WATCHING THE STORE???????
You lied to us Mayor!!! You knew...back in December that people were
going to
be laid off...you signed the order yourself! You
Sir....are not to be trusted. Well, what do you have to say for yourself?...We
thought not....you set a very good example for the likes of Sandy Stone &
McGuffey. HAVE YOU PAID YOUR SECURITY
YET????
The State of Texas is going to handle you Sir...one step at a time....but they will handle you & your administration.....They have accepted HOUSNITCH's complaint against you... (please readers...click on the link)
Ok,
enough time wasted on that so called leader....let's check in on one of our STOOGES...Gary
Oradat . This next project is an Oradat production...directed by the infamous
Leonard Washington, before Gary moved up to the 25th floor: Westview
Paving Project from West Belt (Sam Houston Toll Road) to Gessner. CIP
no-N-0549 was designed by Carter & Burgess, Inc for 4 lane divided concrete roadway
with sidewalk and underground utilities including waterline, sanitary sewer
& storm sewer within the existing 80' right-of-way. The project length is
approximately 5'500 feet and estimated construction cost is $3.6 million. The
engineering services contract amount for Consultant is $430,000. and the design
was completed by Carter & Burgess, Inc in April of 1995. Then it was
shelved. In 1998 after re-organization, this administration decided to redesign
the project & awarded it to Binkley & Barfield, Inc...instead of having
Carter & Burgess just do an update. Then in Carter & Burgess pitched a
fit and they broke the contract up...awarding it in two phases...LOOK at the
waste they created!!!!!: Binkley & Barfield, Inc was given the segment from
West Belt to Shadowdale, and the engineering fee is based on the estimated
construction cost of $5.1 million, which is $691,000.00, Carter & Burgess,
Inc. was given the segment from Shadowdale to Gessner and the engineering fee is
base on an estimated construction cost of $4.4 million which is $368,784.00.
please note, we are talking about the same segment of Westview from West Belt
to Gessner at a total length of 5,500'. Carter & burgess, Inc has estimated
construction cost at $3.6 million which is $655.00 per linear foot
($3,600,000.00/5500') and the design fee is $430,000.00. the estimated
construction cost now becomes $9.5 million (5.1+4.4) which is at $1,727.00 per
linear foot. THIS IS TOO MUCH!!!!
The additional design fee for this project is $1,059,784.00 ($691,000 +
$368,784.00). By adding the original design fee...the total is $1,489,784.00.
We would like council members to look into the following as concerned taxpayers.
#1) Why is estimated construction cost so high for redesign? (are we giving another blank check to consultant again?)
#2) Why was this project split into two parts? Was it necessary?
#3) Why not update with original company and save taxpayers money? (this project alone could have saved $500,000 alone in design fees.)
How many more projects are like this without proper negotiation in the Capital projects Division? Why aren't Chief Engineers allowed to negotiate for the taxpayers? Why do we pay a consultant to negotiate for us when their contract says the more money the handle the bigger their cut?????
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE??????
HOUSNITCH needs $500 (we have $422.00) for incorporation papers ......we also need another $2000.00 for a legal fund.....WE have no intention of just telling you what's going on.....we intend to use legal recourse if we can raise the funds .....unfortunately donations right now are not deductible ....but after incorporation they will be.....YOUR money will be spent WISELY....and you will see the results... not only here but in more traditional news outlets also .....Please help us become even more effective..... Housnitch @ P.O. Box 55423, Houston, TX 77255 We know our readers aren't wealthy....but every little bit helps......Thanks guys...
HOUSNITCH SPOKE WITH THE ROTARY CLUB ON FRIDAY...HERE'S IS THEIR 4 WAY TEST FOR THINGS WE THINK, SAY OR DO.....
1* IS IT THE TRUTH?
2* IS IT FAIR TO ALL CONCERNED?
3* WILL IT BUILD GOODWILL & BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4* WILL IT BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED?
NOT A BAD WAY TO DO BUSINESS MAYOR , TAKE A LESSON
Be well DARLINS...Tell 'em what you think........ya'll know we do.........