The Auditor’s report on the Parking Dept. and missing funds left a lot of questions about how well City Manager Lynch supervises and oversee’s the departments in this city or how he oversee’s those responsible for that dept.
In the SUN’s Breaking New section is a story IG: City broke bidding laws on new fire-alarm system that states in part:
The city violated state bidding laws when it procured a new wireless fire-alarm system and when it forced some property owners to purchase connecting radio boxes from the company that installed the system, the state Inspector General’s Office found
Which bothered me some, but what I really found hard to believe was this:BOLD MINE
Sullivan’s findings are detailed in an Oct. 20, 2011 letter addressed to Michael Vaughn, the city’s chief procurement officer. The letter was obtained by The Sun. It was never provided to the City Council by City Manager Bernie Lynch’s administration.
Lynch said Thursday afternoon the IG’s letter may have crossed his desk, but he did not remember it specifically, so he could not immediately comment on whether it should have been provided to the council or on its contents.
Please a Letter from the IG’s Office hits this city and all of a sudden the Manager has amnesia? I attached the Letter from the IG.
He picked a heck of a time to pull a John Cox and not share a letter with the City Council. Sadly it opens the question to -Did he tell 1 or 2 and not all?
It also calls into question whether the Manager has been so focused on finances that he lets departments and department heads do anything they want and until a problem is presented than he ignores whatever is going on if there is money coming in or none being lost.
Mimi last week posted on her concerns about the fire boxes and now we find that the city was informed in October of 2011 and the council wasn’t informed/ the process wasn’t stopped immediately and the Fire Chief and Purchasing Agent were not required to supply the Manager / Council a full report.
it took a court ruling in May of 2012 for change to occur? why?
Where was the Auditor and Law Dept in this? Did Mr. Vaughn not tell them either?
Is Mr. Vaughn also a rogue employee? That’s what the Manager called Mr. Carney when it was shown he ran his department with no oversite.
How many other department are run by rogues and what will it take until the citizens and taxpayers not to mention the Council find out?
It looks like the company gave a low-ball bid to the City with knowledge that it could make money on the sales to private entities that were effectively forced to buy their systems. For the City to be party to that is a violation of the public trust. With both the Purchasing Agent and the City Solicitor on the IG letter, it is pretty obvious that this should have been common knowledge in the Administration, and should have been shared with the City Council.
“It looks like the company gave a low-ball bid to the City with knowledge that it could make money on the sales to private entities that were effectively forced to buy their systems.” This needs to go under the microscope.
I realize that many of my vulture capitalist acquaintences would, on any given day, applaud any vendor that could do this. However, the politics demand that attention be put on the “victims,” and the City’s hand in this.
I’m still trying to figure out the whole conversion from “old telegraph-wire alarm system ” to “wireless” thing.
Dear Sempai Jack: A microscope may be the wrong implement where the effect of the violation of state law is a no-bid sweetheart deal to the alarm company at sufferance to the interests of the dreaded private sector in Lowell. It smacks of a hidden tax, and there can be no serious debate that it was a city mandated screwing of the effected property oners.
The Truth is usually very simple and apparent to those who see through the fog.
Whenever someone tells you how complicated any fiasco is, they are usually making it up as they go along.
Time for a change, Sempai Jack, and to return Lowell City Government to the Citizens of Lowell.
Thomas A. Wirtanen
Well, Gerry, good to see you are wide awake, and it did not take long for reality to demostrate the validity of your favorite Nitwit ‘s questions. The gratuitous slap at Coxie in passing aside, please consider the real possibility that this is yet another example of Amateur Hour pervading our “Professional Management”. It may have crossed the King’s desk? This is the level of scrutiny and attention paid to such notices?
The yes-men,Bobbleheads and Bubbleheads have been strangely quiet lately and I wonder out loud how they will manage to yes-King and explain this one away.
From first-hand experience, you could never know and appreciate how much money Coxie saved this City with his LEADERSHIP AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, both of which have been sadly absent since his banishment.
So what do all of these highly paid mercenaries do besides drive in and out of Lowell and collect large checks?
Picking a fight with Wally Bayliss and getting the City sued while Rome burns?
Is it inattention, lack of due diligence or utter incompetence?
Nobody could perceive that the effect of the process was a no-bid sweetheart monopoly for the alarm company?
It is time for a change and for leadership to return from,by and for the City of Lowell, the arrogance and charade of “Professional Management” laid bare under it’s own stench. Our People are our most important asset, and the time for Imperial Management is fast drawing to a close.
Thomas A. Wirtanen
Several mentions of “nitwit” prompted me to look back to try to find out the source of that term, and I found this:
“What is more upsetting to me isn’t the nitwit comments in response by Tom Wirtanen, that is to be expected…”
You must concede that he didn’t call you a nitwit, but rather your response to an e-mail blast. That response has not been made public, but the original e-mail was, and that surely could evoke some nitwit comments.
Dear Joe: Whatever the source of the comment and the name calling, still no response from anyone to the critical questions posed as is evidenced by the aftermath. Now, having experienced the fun of the blogger gaggle, the yes-Man-yes King Bobbleheads had gotten away with “Boo Birds” for so long that it only seemed fitting, meet and just that they got to taste their own, particularly where the nomenclature applied was apt and fitting.
It was all great fun while a week of City Life reruns and my alleged vacation permitted the time. But hit my name line anytime on this blog and it will take you to http://www.alaskaanthems.com, where the first read will inform you conclusively where my real priorities reside.
Doing a kindness for a total stranger every day would go a long way in this city.
Thomas A.Wirtanen
http://www.980wcap.com/radioreplay_play.asp?id=343
As the City Manager says its a complex situation that got out of hand. The first issue that stands out is the proprietary nature of the alarm system, where one vendor works its way into a monopoly usually because its more efficient to have a uniform system. Obviously one vendor makes it easier for fire dept. to manage the City emergency response system.
But the problem seems to be that the City doesn’t have a designated Capital Improvements Dept. like Boston’s Public Facilities Dept. PFD manages all construction projects for the City and has a separate arm of the dept. dealing with Ch. 30B projects which are smaller projects that would be cumbersome to manage under Ch. 149.
Having a Director of Capital Improvements would take a large burden off the shoulders of the City Procurement Officer and allow for a more professional approach to public bidding projects. In the long run, millions would be saved as a savy project manager knows how to go right to the heart of determining needs via professional assessment; preparing and recommending budgets for approval; hiring the appropriate design personnel via the RFP process (Chapter 7); and managing projects through the various phases; all with due diligence.
Nothing is mentioned in the article about an alarm system designer, which makes it appear the the vendor worked its way into a design/build situation. There lies the rub. With no competition to worry about and no independent designer to oversee the project what you end up with is a “fox in the henhouse” who can charge whatever they like for the boxes.
Historically, I believe Lowell once had a Capital Improvements officer who assessed the needs of all the buildings in the City and managed projects, but for the most part, I don’t believe this has been the case. I’ve heard rave reviews for this person’s efforts.
In this day and age, a designated Capital Improvements officer is critical. Otherwise inefficiencies and crisis management can be costly, and legal allegations can be commonplace. This leaves the City in a precarious position of having to use “strong arm” tactics to keep the wolves at bay. We’re seeing a lot less of this under City Manager Lynch. Unfortunately, “high road” style professionalism can leave one vulnerable to “low road” type mentalities.
While considering a Capital Improvements officer, it would be interesting to study how such a position could leverage the data analysis capabilities of the City.
Something to consider.
George, this is a brilliant post and demonstrates the good thinking that can emerge from this type of open dialogue. Regrettably, in order to be effective, it would have to be cast in an administration where the environment is less imperial, where the manager listens to his to staff and vice-versa. With the latest news we hear that information as to critical notices is routinely withheld, and God, The King and his Court only knows why.
Enough is Enough, and it is time for the King and his Mercenary Court to pack their bags, collect their huge severence rip-offs, and leave Lowell once and for all.
Not only should all such officials reside in Lowell, but they should all be at-will employees, with absolutely no contracts whatsoever. After all, when the King is finally dispatched he collects his tribute… fit for King !
Thomas A. Wirtanen