HOUSNITCH
01/29/01
Well, dear readers---it's Sunday again...and we're up early trying to get your Monday Housnitch on-line. Our families are tired of our not being available on the weekends...so we started at 5 am this morning---then we'll have time for our families & still do what we believe we have to do.
We've been kind of easy on our targets so far...but today we take off the gloves!!!! Every one of our colleagues has wondered why we have held back on Deputy Director HILDA GARZA SCOTT, after all we did allow Bob Burtman at the Houston Press to report on her goings on, and yet we have held back here----well, HILDA----TODAY IS YOUR DAY!!!! ( to see burtman' report click here~~~>www.houstonpress.com.....go to archives) Subject of today's HOUSNITCH is "Your Loyal Highness Hilda Garza Scott"
www.ci.houston.tx.us/departme/works/cphome.html
First document dear readers is concerning the city's
promotional practices---which by the way.... go against city policy
Let's lay the proper foundation for Hilda Garza Scott, shall we? Hilda came to the city public works & engineering in 1990. She was employed as an engineer with a starting salary of $41,000.00. Now, at this time Hilda was a single lady, and while we don't begrudge her any dating fun that she may have had, she rarely dated anyone of her fellow employees for very long, until......She began dating Richard Scott, former City Engineer. (Before becoming the top Engineer in the city, he was Deputy Director...Hilda's boss)
Hilda started working in the storm sewer section when she first came to the city.....same floor as Richard Scott, (who in an affirmative action investigation had been found guilty of poor management in his department concerning complaints from employees, involving sexual harassment ,illegal promotions, and favoritism at which time he was asked to resign....but after taking office in 1992, then Mayor Bob Lanier & Public works Director Jimmy Schindewolf brought Mr. Scott back....) and love bloomed dear readers...as did Hilda's career. Poor Andy Gallagher, manager of storm sewers, had no idea of the power of love, until he received his demotion. Love dear readers played quite a role in Hilda's advancement to manager of storm sewers. (where these happenings really belong as far as we're concerned!!!!) In no time, Hilda was manager of storm sewers, and then Mr.Schindewolf, "created" a whole new department for Mr. Scott's new love....called "EFFECTIVENESS GROUP"...which up to this date many of us still don't know what the primary function of this office is. (There has been a new policy set for this department and they actually have goals & work product, etc. in place)
To get on with the story----City guidelines have established rules & regulations regarding Deputy Directors.....and all of them were broken in Hilda Garza Scott's case.
Ms. Garza was named Deputy Director with a staff of 5.(Three weeks later she & Richard Scott were married, with a combined income of over $200,000.00 + benefits a year! And every consultant & contractor who had ever worked under a contract to the city was invited....what was that ordinance about excepting gifts from contractors by city employees?) Now, all of us at then 1801 Main knew her staff and with the exception of one city engineer we had no idea what the other staffers requirements or job descriptions were for this new department. We know what they DID---but we have no idea what deemed their functions as city employees. 1- employee, was/is basically a Gopher for Ms. Garza Scott. She "goes fer" Ms. Garza Scott's child and takes her to school & picks her up from school & brings her to the office to wait until Hilda was/is ready to go home. Another employee,is a holdover from convicted former city councilmember Ben Reye's office......and she is VERY politically active---always selling raffle tickets and promoting bake sales for one politician or the other and constantly on the phone for fundraising events for various elected officials. WE employees who have actual city business to discuss with Ms. Garza Scott's office must never enter the work perimeter without first phoning ahead to let them know we are coming, or being announced by a "sometimes on-duty" secretary. If the secretary is not at her desk...even though we can see the person we'd like to speak with...usually no more than 10 feet from us we have to pick up the secretary's phone & let them know we need to speak with them. Oh----and the chief engineer who is employed by Ms. Garza Scott's office---he is handling parking problems for city employees. (Great effectiveness application right?!!!!)
Also while at 1801 Main, Ms. Garza Scott routinely took a Hispanic maintenance worker to her home during business hours to work on her dishwasher, appliances etc...sometimes spending half a day there on city time. Of course Ms. Garza Scott always paid this worker by buying his lunch---at the drive threw at Mc Donald's...and she went all out too...Hilda would spring for the $2.99 combo----wooooooweeeee, a person could get spoiled like this!!!
Hilda did/has/is treating her husband much better! When Jerry King took over in April of 1998, under now Mayor Lee Brown....he asked Hilda & Richard to decide which of them would go----they had been breaking various city ordinances/policies by both of them being employed by the city----the following is just a few of them:
1. Working the same floor together.
2. Hilda directly reported to her husband as her boss.
3. They both worked in the same department.
So it was decided that Richard Scott would leave. Richard left and became senior vice-president of TSC Engineering, a consulting firm doing business with the city.....along with his new title also came at least 10% ownership of the company. Richard left the city's employ on September 11, 1998.
On October 29th, 1998....Hilda Garza Scott, did more than drive through Mc Donald's for her husband's new company......she awarded them a $1,099,000.00 engineering service contract. This company during the past 16 months BEFORE Richard left had only totaled $160,000.00 worth of business with the city----
We'd say that was more than a "happy meal deal" here comes the combo----within 2 months after Richard Scott's leaving the city his firm received more than $2,000,000 in consulting contracts. The rumor at Public Works & Engineering was that to be assured of receiving a contract....all a consultant had to do was name TSC as a sub-minority and Hilda would approve your proposal & award you the contract.
Below is latest example of contract given to TSC.
So tell us dear readers....doesn't this smack of nepotism?......Is this fair? We don't think so....tell the Mayor you don't either...hold him RESPONSIBLE...opponent or not, in the up-coming elections this is not acceptable behavior for our city officials
Hey---Ask the OIG too...(office of the inspector general...it's his job to investigate these kind of things) What's up Tim?-- You have had these documents for many months now....mailto:ispgen@myr.ci.houston.tx.us
answer to last weeks question----
1----who gets the most free lunches???? Gary Oradat---mailto:wjohnson@pwe.ci.houston.tx.us
2---Who buys the most lunches?---There is a tie! RATNALA & BAHL, INC ( MR. WISHWA BAHAL IS BUYING!!!! and OMEGA CONSULTING. INC...... MR. RICHARD CASTANEDA....member of Mayor Lee P. Brown's transition team......Both men are almost daily visitors to 611 Walker. (Hey----we can't give you any contracts...but some of us could sure do with a free lunch now & then!!!)
3----Most $$$$$$ paid to any one company from city projects belongs to---RATNALA BAHL INC.....about $20,000,000.00 this includes--prime consultants...sub consultants , management, architectural, and inspections.
# 4---you guys at P W & E---you know which division it is that consumes the most alcohol during business hours----you all sent us mail and no one guessed wrong----you were right it's Southern Infrastructure under Mr. Michael Ho.
We'll get back to shelved projects during the week....until next time---be well...let us know how we're doing with your documents! mailto:housnitch@aol.com