HOUSNITCH 9

Our Sponsor will be speaking this Friday, October 01, 1999 at the Houston Property Rights Association weekly luncheon at The Courtyard Restaurant at 1885 St. James Place just off of San Felipe in the Galleria area. Lunch starts at 12 noon to 1:30pm and price is $10.00 per person. For more information you may call Barry Klein @ 713-224-4144.

We have received a lot of letters concerning SPEED HUMPS....boy you guys really hate those things!....we have some of our own documents....but before we show you----take a look at what one reader has amassed:

EXHIBITS FOR HOUSNITCH: - September 25, 1999

Exhibit A

HOW HOUSTON HAS USED FALSE INFORMATION TO PROMOTE THE HUMP PROGRAM

Schindewolfe memo

Letter from Bob Lanier to A. Muhs

Letter from Richard Murray, U of H who conducted the poll

PTI Report (Public Technology) with quotes from McMillian

Letter to President of PTI, Toregas

Distortion of statistics on Public Hearing--See report on public Hearing from TCD--no date

Account of how McMillian distorted what was said re mailing notices to those against humps

Memorandum from Joanna Pasternak re results of Public Hearing

Notice to City Council Members re "fix"

Exhibit B

DIFFICULTY IN GETTING INFORMATION--METHODS USED BY TCD TO DISCOURAGE Attempt to get information on streets in Nottingham Forest (Letter from J. Whaley)

Letter to D. Wiersig from A. Muhs

Attempt to get list of humped streets in Houston

Letter from J. Whaley re distortion of telephone conversation to Legal Dept by McMillian

Letter from Anthony Hall to A Muhs claiming decisions between departments cannot be revealed

Exhibit C

FUNDING--WASTE OF MONEY

Recap of money spent on humps since 1993

Interoffice memo of money taken from street and bridge fund for humps

Letter from Terra Engineering with billing number, but TCD claims they never tried to close Ashford Parkway

$250,000 to make obstacle course of Northbrook Neighborhood (Newspaper article) then claim of waste of money to remove some of obstacles requested by residents (newspaper article)

Exhibit D

INCOMPLETE RECORDS AND DOUBLETALK ON PROCEDURES

See letter from J. Whaley re streets in Nottingham Forest--and how numbers don't jive with claim

Change of procedure to place humps on Northhampton Street

Copy of critique- A. Muhs

Copy of letter from Rolen claiming they follow ITE guidelines (Institute of Transportation Engr)

Copy of letter to Councilmember Todd from A. Muhs

No removal policy--interoffice memo from Mayor Brown to Bruce Tatro

Humps placed on many streets with no accident record (This would need to be obtained from the TCD)

e.g. Potomac, Benignus (10 humps (3 since removed) placed on Benignus, a 1.2 mile street that already had 6 stop signs and 2 traffic circles.

Only those who want humps are responded to

Exhibit E

UNFOUNDED SAFETY CLAIMS

No studies made by City to prove safety

One report of 11 streets to show volume and speed is reduced--Included Gentryside that was humped with a 32 mph average-- 0.7 of a mile street--3 stop signs, added 3 humps. No other studies.

Excerpts from Reid Ewing's, "Traffic Calming, State of the Art" report that shows claims of

Safety statistically insignificant.

Exhibit F

FIRE DEPARTMENT

Letter from Robert Britt - claim of nothing in writing re exclusion of principal emergency routes

Letter from Mayor Lee Brown re removal policy

Letter from Robert Britt claiming tape not sent from Legal

Copy of Legal Department Delivery/Pickup request sent with tape

Exhibit H

REFUSAL OF MAYOR BROWN AND CITY COUNCIL TO WRITE ORDINANCE FOR HUMPS

No documentation here except letters of request

There is an ordinance for everything else

Exhibit I

REFUSAL OF CITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE POLLUTION CAUSED BY SPEED HUMPS

Handout at Air Quality Planning Committee Meeting dated June 24, 1999

There is no way we can put all these documents out here on the web....but as to the allegations of being misled.....we have our own documents that back this up-----be sure to check out the date on this first one

June 23rd 1999----Ms. Susan McMillan was SUPPOSED to be out of the HUMP business....you see after Wayne Dolcefino produced a report entitled.. "WASTE of taxpayer dollars in the name of N. T. P." (neighborhood traffic projects...and a scathing investigation from Bob Burtman at the Houston Press entitled : Degrees, Diplomas, and Credentials...who needs them?" Susan McMillan was an embarrassment----and was relegated to Administration----(or so this letter would seem to indicate) NOW---pay attention to the date

Susan is still responding to requests & in essence still "humping" Houston. IF we had any faith in the OIG---we'd tell the writer to go to them----but we all know how that will end up!

Mayor----you promised a procedure/program for removal of humps----did it go the same way as ETHICS?

We have met with another group off of T C Jester who had the same thing done to them...14 of the 22 homes on Cheshire did not want the humps....we understand that they have HUGE signs that will go up on private property facing T C Jester that say, "Mayor Brown..."hump" this! The other 12 homes will have yard signs that say "We were HUMPED by Bruce Tatro & we didn't like it!" PLEASE----EVERYONE WHO HAS A GRIPE & WANTS TO AIR IT----CONTACT US----IT IS AN ELECTION SEASON----WE HAVE AN IDEA!!!!!

On to shelved projects...you remember what they are right boys & girls?...Projects that are 100% complete & for one reason or another they are placed on the shelf after design is completed....this one will really blow you away---wasn't even on the shelf for 6 months----

METRO paid $430,000 for this project....And dear readers----VOTERS!....METRO's standards & the City of Houston's standards for designs are the EXACT SAME----wanna see how much ya'll paid for this?

The only difference in METRO'S DESIGN & JNS' DESIGN IS THE COLOR OF THE INK

YOU BETTER BELIEVE WE HAVE A LOT TO SAY ON THIS---BUT NO---THIS IS SUFFICIENT TO SHOW YOU THAT NOBODY IS MINDING THE STORE

Subj: Texas Open Records Act Request
Date: 9/12/99 7:19:12 AM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: ctrsrg@ctr.ci.houston.tx.us
BCC: Mayor@ci.houston.tx.us

Name
Street
City, State, zip
phone
e-mail

September 11, 1999

Sylvia Garcia
City of Houston Controller

Dear Sylvia:

Under the Texas Open Records Act....(T.O.R.A.)...I am requesting the following documents which I believe are maintained or accessible to your office and in your jurisdiction to provide.....

ANY and all rental records pertaining to the occupation of City of Houston offices BY Consultants at 611 Walker.

IF no rental record is available----WHY NOT?

WHO gave permission for consulting companies to set up their offices inside City of Houston property?

IS this in their Contract?

Cost in dollar amounts for using city of Houston
equipment ...i.e. copy machines...telephones.. (long
distance expenditures?)

Are the Taxpayers also footing the bill for mail charges?

Dollar amount for PCs & laptops....also are we
providing then with cellular phones and dollar amount
this costs??

Dollar amount spent on car rentals for these
consultants......

Gas expenditures also...

Toll roads fees .....

Parking Fees

Companies now occupying 611 Walker (to our knowledge)....P.G.A.L.....L.A.N.............Atser.....Gilbane.....there could be other minor consultants as well.

Under the T.O.R.A. you have 10 days to make your findings available to me, or write to the Attorney General explaining why you cannot....and provide me with a copy of this letter.
I remain respectfully yours,
Sincerely,
Our Sponsor

Well ---- DUH---we knew there weren't any documents to back up the occupation of 611 Walker by Consultants. As soon as we are able to get the fee for those contracts you can bet we'll comment on them...(maybe a snitch will help us?) WE will be submitting another TORA---just as soon as we have figured out HOW to word it so we get what we want....

This next one is long...lots of narrative----but it is to show you how we are being ripped off by the Consulting firms & yes our own administration: But hey this is a 3 STOOGES production---what else can you expect---(Remember the 3 STOOGES?...Gary Oradat, Hilda Garza Scott, and Showri Nandagiri) This one is Showri's

Council member Jean Kelley...we hear you've been bragging on this one-----BAD MOVE!!!!

The taxpayers have to quit being targets, educate your selves---DEMAND that your Council member takes responsibility for the money spent in their district because as we keep showing you---NOBODY'S MINDING THE STORE here at 611 WALKER---

They didn't even get the project # right on this ordinance. This CIP # is N-0565-01-2...WHERE is the quality control?

This is an ordinance approving an amendment for an additional design fee of $926,783.00 for JMA Engineers, Inc. due to an increase in the estimated construction cost from $2,350,000.00 to $10,264,00.00 after a so called "TECHNICAL REVIEW COMMITTEE" (TRC) meeting. Therefore, JMA's design fee has been increased from originally appropriated amounts of $331,942 to $1,258,725.

This is a typical way that the Consultants get their fee increased with revised construction cost estimates and/or revised scope of services. The City decision makers needs to approve or negotiate the Consultant's request. We all know sound decision is always backed by valuable experience*

{* FYI: According to CITY STANDARD Engineering Services Contract, the City can only get back a max. of 5% of an overpaid fee to a Consultant.}

The re-calculated Engineering design fee by % based on $8,000,000 = $400,000

$700,000-$400,000=$300,000 RIGHT?...WRONG!!!!!according to design contract, Consultant only needs to send back 5% of the $300,000 which is $15,000----loss to taxpayers---$285,000

From this example, you can see how important the AGREED estimate is. It is to the consultants' advantage to have the highest estimate in front in order to get a higher fee. Without PROPER negotiation in the front...it's just like we're giving them a blank check. Since the reorganization under this administration there are no QUALIFIED Engineers being allowed to negotiate these contracts with Consultants. We City Engineers are told NOT to negotiate....We are very surprised that this administration did not establish a criteria for negotiations. We firmly believe the leadership is lacking knowledge and/or incapable.

For this project alone, the estimated construction cost has jumped almost 5 times the original cost AFTER the TRC meeting. An EXPERIENCED engineer knows that the cost of a project like this usually ranges from $700.00 to $800.00 a linear foot. This project has approx. 5000 linear feet @ $10,000,000, the estimated construction cost is $2,000.00 a linear foot. WHY? And of course the fee for the design consultant is increased from $331,947 to $1,258,729.

A bridge construction project, as part of this project was awarded to NBG Constructor, Inc for $1,388,411.00

This time the project # is at least correct. However it does not clearly tell you that this project is just one part of a 3 part phase construction of San Felipe from Fountainview to Voss. Confusing isn't it? Maybe someone is doing this on purpose. WATCH! They want to complicate things so no one can figure out WHAT THE OVER PAY is.

Now, this is 1st phase...and we have 2 phases following. Normally for such a short section, it is not necessary to divide a project into multiple phases for construction. Simply because this will disturb nearby businesses more times than required. WE doubt that the business owners have been notified of this ....

2) How was this project negotiated? By Whom? Program consultant? PGAL or City of Houston program manager?

4) Why does city have to pay @$9,000.00 for TRC meeting. (you only see this in Washington DC)

Point of fact....If you take a drive on San Felipe between Fountainview and Voss, you can see easily how 1/3 of the project (east side of little bridge) is in bad shape and is justified for total reconstruction. The remaining 2/3 is in good shape compared to the section between Sage & Augusta. WE really think some of this $10,000,000.00 could be saved for repairing this badly needed portion of San Felipe between Sage & Augusta.

Thank you to all the union members who wrote in and let us know how to contact them----please keep it up---The Houston chapter supplies over 50% of the money that runs the Union and has the potential to take over the Union and run it for the Houston employees. If the 14,000 City Employees become
organized they will take over the entire city. The powers that be are terrified of that. We can take back our union & our city if we continue to work together!

Thank you HOUSTON PRESS for naming Housnitch "Best Manifesto of 1999" we was just giving ya'll the facts ....manifesto....WOW we just want to stop the waste!