HOUSNITCH
(is this a fire we want to start?)
HOUSNITCH is in a quandary boys & girls.....We need your help on this one.
TELL US WHAT TO DO
We have received almost 150 e-mails in relation to Union # 1550....the City of Houston Employees Union. Proper name AFSCME Union 1550. (American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees). Many questions & pleas have been put to HOUSNITCH to answer. WE know of the allegations being made. When we went looking for answers to some of your questions, our sponsor was profaned, threatened, and generally told to mind her own business and get a life. She was ordered to not utter a word here on the net or she would be sued for libel....well boys & girls...she does not fear City Hall or the big consulting firms....so why would she have a fear of the unions? What are they gonna do...send some thugs out?---WE don't think so. There does seem to be fire in this matter....or there would not be so much smoke coming from the person who spoke with our sponsor. Our quandary is this---the union will not release the members list so they may be contacted and organized to better address some of these concerns....WE have been asked to appeal to all union members who have a question to , please, please, under the cover of HOUSNITCH , send in a way that you may be contacted so we can organize the members and have some of theses questions/problems resolved. IF the workers became galvanized....THIS would bring about a LOT of change, not only in the Union that takes $20 a month from our paychecks....but within the city itself. DO you actually believe that your Mayor would not listen to us IF we were REALLY organized? WE must do this!....Any Union member reading this....please step forward with a way you can be contacted...so we may truly organize & have some of our concerns addressed...NO ONE WILL SELL THIS INFORMATION OR USE IT IN ANY WAY TO TRY AND SELL YOU SOMETHING....as is the policy of HOUSNITCH all information is confidential, and we will only use this to organize. To have some of our concerns addressed. Please dear readers....it is the squeaky wheel that gets the oil....let's become a "LOUD squeaky wheel!!" ( anyone being threatened if they participate in this endeavor, please notify us...we do have attorney's ready to help..) ONLY BY STANDING UP AND ASKING THE HARD QUESTIONS can we accomplish change. And isn't that the true purpose of a UNION?
It has been our policy (so far) to target only those in positions of authority. The ones who are giving away our tax dollars. And we have told you many times how "the inmates are running the asylum"...and the head Doctor has abandoned the facility....comes this letter to us and since it has an accompanying document to back up the sender's claim we thought we'd bring it to you. (of course WE here at 611 Walker know these things...but we prefer to have the documentation to go along with it, that way no can can say we are gossiping, or spreading rumors.) With that said---here's some more of our dirty laundry dear readers. ( by the way---we love the writer's style!!!!)
Subj: The Few the Proud, the Privileged, the CONFLICT OF IN
Date: 9/14/99 12:40:24 AM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
File: DelkGrub.bs.jpg (18890 bytes)
DL Time (24000 bps): < 1 minute
The winds begin to blow, the waves splashing over the deck, focused on
that mighty light, the only beacon in the night, that simple light, the
truth.
MICHELLE EASLEY DELK :
Can anyone explain how Michelle Delk manages to take so much time off
and never turn in paperwork for sick leave and vacation time?
Here is someone who has lost touch with who was appointed to run the
Departments and who was asked to leave the Department by a Director.
Guess that Building Technology Degree goes a long, long way.
Guess Michelle can just appoint whoever she wants and ignore directives
from Directors and the Mayor and ignore proper administrative
procedure. I thought Dan Jones and Janet King were gone.
How is it Michelle Delk got away with screaming at Jerry King and
calling him a very derogatory name to his face and in front of other
staff members and she's still employed here?
Now boys and girls we all know if we did that we would be escorted out
of the building and our belongings handed to us in a cardboard box.
Guess when you're a close intimate friend of Al Haines you can get
away with anything. Even insulting a Director and X-Director of Metro
and one of the most respected Municipal Governmental Directors in the
State of Texas who has devoted thousands of hours to the City of
Houston. Hell don't take it personal Jerry, after all Michelle is a
friend of Al Haines.
Of course, should we mention that Michelle Delk was one of the players
in the 611 Walker construction project.
Once again if you're a friend of Al Haines you can just skip out with
no questions, no consequences.
But guess you can get away with anything when you are blond and PERKY.
Isn't that right Michelle. Interesting document. Are you concealing
something from the Council Members?
Just another example of your tax dollars at work ladies & gentleman and 611 Walker is a monument to P W & E----$50,000,000 and they have no HOT water & no drinking water----great work guys!
(now HOUSNITCH wants you to know that we understand that by giving you the facts about Michelle, we have taken on ONE of the Mayor's Senior Advisors ....Mr. Al. Haines...and those are the chances we take---BUT this waste & political payoff has to stop---THERE ARE NO SACRED COWS!!!)
PUBLIC WORKS & ENGINEERING THE GREAT ABYSS
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the administration
does not support the proper review of engineering design contracts during
negotiations, with the consultants. The consultant sees this and takes advantage
of the City's lack of oversight, and City Council approves these projects (fees)
without true knowledge of a project. The whole system does not support the
interests of the City and the taxpayers. This is mainly due from lack of
leadership from the " Top" who has selected those "inexperienced chosen
ones" who cannot provide proper directions, and make the necessary
decisions to the consultants to provide control for the City's projects &
budgets. THIS SITUATION HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN THE WASTE OF TAX DOLLARS
NUMBERING IN THE MILLIONS!!!!! ( Why not just send the consultants a blank
check? This would save everybody time & effort)
We must add...however that since Bob Burtman of the Houston Press first ran the story on Hilda Garza Scott.....there has been more LEGAL review of extensions etc.....
http://www.houstonpress.com/cgi-bin/bglimpse/
(use HILDA SCOTT as search word)
and we like to think WE here at HOUSNITCH were behind the following document coming out of Gary Oradat's office......
ACTUALLY, P W & E should have been doing these things all along!!!...AND dear readers...we want you to take note of how Mr. Oradat puts all the responsibility BACK on Ms. Garza Scott..... (ooooo, The 3 STOOGES start to turn on one another!)
Interesting side note here readers....The 3 Stooges...(Oradat---Garza Scott---Nandagiri) have all been running back & forth between each other's offices....AND now those computer files are no longer available to personnel...they have had a password placed on them so that not even PUBLIC documents can be accessed...........(remember the THEME song to the original 3 Stooges? "All around the mulberry bush...the monkey chased the weasel......that's the way the monkey goes....POP goes the weasel!!!!") Great antics for those of us who actually work around here!
Speaking of antics.....check out this one.....We really have to lay some preparation for this one---so dear readers...sit back. You see, for many years now...Montgomery & Watson have done the majority of our "PRIME" work here in Houston pertaining to design consulting, and until Mr. Gary Oradat became Senior Asst director, Ratnala & Bahl had been a sub consultant on their contracts. BUT as old friend and former employee under Vishwa Bahl, Gary Oradat saw to it that Ratnala & Bahl become the "Prime" consultant and Montgomery & Watson...(a multinational company with $1.4 billion dollars worth of city work in their pockets) becomes the sub consultant. No actual shift in workers took place....just a paper shuffle. A shuffle which gave Ratnala & Bahl more money...
Check out contracts as discussed in Mr. Burtman's column on April 22, 1999....http://www.houstonpress.com/cgi-bin/bglimpse/
(use HILDA SCOTT as search word)
You guys remember how we've been questioning the OIG here pretty regularly here...right?
We cannot for the life of us understand why our complaints languish , many of them for more than a year...and still no findings....Well voters...readers...comes a letter to us from someone who shed plenty of light on WHY....to wit:
Subj: Fwd: Waste of Tax Dollars - Part 6
Date: 9/11/99 9:56:06 AM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
It seems back last month that the Tactical (TAC) and Administrative (Admin) units at Central Patrol engaged in too much good natured rivalry. After a week or so of pranks (such as shoe polish on telephone ear pieces) word leaked out that the Captain had taken to carrying a water pistol and was plotting to ambush the TAC Lieutenant to force him to admit that "Admin Rules."
Perhaps a spy in the Admin office leaked this skullduggery to the TAC team who promptly armed themselves with fully loaded water pistols and plotted to attack the Captain first.
One morning the Captain entered the roll call room to exert his administrative duties and noticed that a TAC officer had a bulge under his shirt. Explaining that he was unarmed the Captain attempted to beat a hasty retreat but was cornered by as many as 21 well armed members of the TAC team. A good three minute soaking ensued and the Captain had to admit that TAC actually ruled the second floor at Central.
Camaraderie at its best? Read on.....
Once the former Captain of Central who had been sent off to exile in the Narcotics Division got wind of this horseplay he went to the Administrative Assistant Chief who immediately ordered a full scale proactive investigation by the Internal Affairs Division.
Seems that this former Captain (who always kept morale at its lowest ebb at Central) is extremely jealous of his successor who has people begging once again to transfer to his command. It simply burns his ass that his replacement could be so popular, be a regular guy, and run a tight ship.
After all 20 odd wrote letters to IAD admitting their complicity that they were, in fact, carrying fully loaded water pistols, the investigation dragged on. Tens of man-hours went into the investigation and there's no end in sight. The Captain has even offered to fall on his sword and take the blame for all of his troops. But, no, the Assistant Chief seems to be determined that he wants somebody's head. Now, the investigation continues......
You'd think that there was no serious crime for IAD to investigate. Maybe there isn't.
Subj: Re: Waste of Tax Dollars - Part 6
Date: 9/11/99
To:
Part 6???? we didn't get 1-5!!!! Have we missed something Darlin? WE are laughing our Ass*s off here about the IAD investigation---None of us can even begin to fathom the inner workings, let alone UNDERSTAND Asst. Chief De
Foor..( you see OUR network IS vast!)...As we say in the south....God Love him....(because not too many of us can!)
Thanks for the information...we will run this in our update...we're glad ya'll are watching us....(we think) and thanks again for the info....
(Speaking of watching...the officer who sits at the end of our sponsor's
street...and runs our license plates as we come & go....is there a reason? )
Can you say "Intimidation"..."OFFICIAL OPPRESSION"...boys
& girls?....Be well, we know you only follow orders!
Housnitch
One more letter we wanted to share with our readers....
Subj: Bad Printing
Date: 9/12/99 11:49:18 AM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
Dear Housnitch:
I can't get enough of reading your articles. It's like
reading a good book: wanting to see the end results
but at the same time, not wanting it to end!
However, there are a few things I want to mention:
1) when I print your text in its entirety, the part that was scanned and highlighted in your posting does not show up well and is hard to read. I always pass
out copies of your material but the printing problem seems to be getting worse. I thought it was my printer, but it's not. The normal text prints just fine!
2) you had an archive section before (but I could
never get into it for some reason) and now it's gone;
3) it would be nice if you could put "Article No." or
"Journal No." (along with a date) or something to show if a copy is old or is the newest one out. As time goes
by, I'm sure employees may want to make reference to a particular article/statement and have something to refer back to.
As I said, I print out your material, make copies
at my own expense and circulate them to fellow City employees. I am told anyone caught reading your articles at work from the City's computer, is an automatic dismissal so I do this from home.
I will be forwarding your homepage to a few civic centers who need to know what's going on.
Keep up the good work: your information is fantastic; your way with words is brilliant; and finally, you have made our silent voices come to life!!!!
Subj: Re: Bad Printing
Date: 9/12/99
To:
Thank you so much for your kind words.....we have had a few complaints on printing from other people also---if you use Internet Explorer not
Netscape we understand it is better...and yes we screwed up the archives...we still don't have that part down right.
And we all know about the City missive on firing if caught
with HOUSNITCH on the screen...we work there too you know....also MOST of us in
P W & E can't bring it up---it has been blocked from our computers....but
NOTHING is fool proof...because WE fools are very ingenious!
We do put a date...but if we go in & up-date later---the date changes...and we are left with too many different dates on the same document....Sorry, we haven't worked that out either!
Pray for us!!!!!
Housnitch
Last document for today boys & girls....remember how we
talked about the Consulting companies occupying 611 Walker?...Well P.G.A.L was
given eviction papers....and NOW---we receive this notice last week....
Finally...an invitation for lunch----for the masses!!!!! They probably bought this land & paid for this new building by saving so much occupying 611 Walker for more than a year....to wit...our sponsor has submitted a Texas Open Records Act request to the City of Houston Controller, Sylvia Garcia...
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
(Ya gotta love a law that lets you ask questions!!! And that says you deserve a response!!!)
Ok readers----that's it for today----now come the links to send a letter----you know the drill....go for it!
(just in case there is something to that HOBBS ACT)
(great home site about pay scale...promotions etc)
an interesting site---showing you the WHY NOTS on the Port Bonds---we recommend it!