HOUSNITCH
This time around we thought we'd show you just how the lines of communication are working down at Public Works & Engineering. Your and OUR tax dollars hard at work!
Our first document is the minutes of a meeting concerning a "Safe Sidewalk" project. We have "Neighborhoods to Standards", "Parks to Standards", and a "Schools to Standards" program, but it seems that if we have ANY standards in Public Works & Engineering they aren't being applied.
You see---it seems as if we paid L. Smith Construction for the sidewalk project 26-3. We paid him in full, but the work was not finished! Now those of us in the KNOW here at P W &E understand that before a check can be issued there must be a form called a "Final Inspection" filled out and turned in before approval for the payment is submitted. This is not the case here---and really not the case in many projects that are on-going with the city. (We're just bringing you an example of one) Mr. Michael Ho, Deputy Director Southern Infrastructure, who reports to Mr. Herbert Lum, apparently approved payment of this project without a final inspection. Inspections are done by "ATSER", they hold a huge contract with the city to do our inspections. (WE want to know why this is----why do we contract out inspection work....we do have our own qualified inspectors already on staff.....WHY are contractors paid for work not done.....WHY is approval given without "Final Inspection" being signed off on? What happened to "WORK STANDARDS" around P W & E?)
This next set of documents goes on to show you, dear readers just how much the lines of communication are clogged in P W &E.....we will be bringing you a series of such projects around the city...this is just the start of them....The first one is around $1,000,000............MY, my, my---one million dollars...a million here, a million there----seems like some one could have dropped a quarter to let the other departments know what was happening!!!!!
You see, this project was finished----100% finished....it was a contract to plan paving, draining, bridge and related utilities....we only owed them roughly $14,700 dollars....but the plan was finished....
We paid almost $750,000, for a plan to pave these streets...and the city maintenance crews came in & paved them without co-ordination---that cost was about $150,000 dollars and it will take close to another $150,000 or more to take this asphalt back up if we go ahead with this plan we have paid for. BUT...this is typical of P W &E.......and now the plan will go on the shelf and sit there for 6 or more months...then be pulled out and we'll pay an "update" fee and then we MIGHT get this work done....WE promise to watch this project for you......This is just one example of many such projects....we'll let you know about some more "shelf sitters" as we progress.
We had great fun with last Friday's issue....and we seem to have some more documents from the Democratic Party but we'll wait for another day to put those out---- Really Ms. Schechter....don't you have any STANDARDS either? Thanks to all you readers who keep submitting your documents & ideas....we are beginning to get the hang of this...and we can only get better. Please continue to help us, by asking your city officials "WHAT GIVES"....we can only change the way business is done if we speak up and demand a higher standard...we are worth the effort Mayor!
Special thanks to Tim Fleck for his hyperlink to our site & we heard you John Matthews (or is it Jon?).....Thanks Dennis@cyberhouse for your help this week end...wanna send us your e-mail address?...we'll get you a copy every publication. And to you guys at the city who are scared to click onto our site at work---(on your coffee break of course!!!!), We hear ya----we will be sticking to a lighter background so you can print & run!!! We haven't been able to get OUR mailbox in right let's see if this works... mailto:HOUSNITCH@aol.com (we're working on the archives too!!)
Until next we meet-----be well.
HOUSNITCH
Let this guy know how you feel!!!!!