“TABULATED” BACKROOM DEALS IN LBTS? ….
Dear Readers …Scott Gooding being “reassigned” was just the “first peel” in the Banana Republic of LBTS!
Today the Town Manager sat in Jarvis Hall with her Assist. Town Manager, Finance Director, Town Clerk, Comm. Dodd, this writer and a room full of vendors (14 people ) as 16 bids were “READ ALOUD ” for company names (only) until this writer asked for towns to be read as well!
NO BID PRICES WERE READ!
The Manager did exactly what was done last month in the Town Hall conference room (prev. post) and followed her Town Purchasing Manual…to a T! ( FOR TOTALITARIAN)
This writer had contacted FLOCities to complain about the sudden change in transparency after the last time the Town did this and was informed it was up to the Commission and the Town’s purchasing manual (see below)…BUT never did I believe the Town would actually continue on with such a blatant act of giving LBTS a black eye by doing it again with this kind of a turnout!…WOW!…
This Town Manager has got to go! She is off her rocker!…. Can anyone imagine what would have happened if they did this when the vendors came for the garbage contract bid opening?
She sat nearby and told the Assist. Town Manager to inform the angry and confused crowd that they could get the bid prices after 10 days from the Town after making a public records request! …(He held up a form)
This writer asked if there was a fee for the request and the Assist. TM said Yes!…He then backtracked to say if it was just a printout of the tabulation…maybe not…Hmmmm…
The stunned vendors could not believe it…they took out their cell phones and called their offices…and a few were vocal in saying what kind of town this is and speaking of backroom deals!
The Assistant was again told by the Town Manager to let them know they could “contact” the Town Attorney for a copy of the Town Attorney’s opinion! …(another request, another fee, another hoop!)
What a piece of work!…Again, this Town Manager has chosen to expend staff time to thwart the process…WHY?…In this writer’s opinion ….to upend Comm. Dodd’s desire for open competitive bids and make it so vendors won’t want to come here and she can return to her chosen few!… SHAME ON HER!….SHAME ON THE MAJORITY ON THE COMMISSION!…..SHAME ON THE VOTERS IF SHE IS STILL HERE AFTER MARCH!…
Commissioner Dodd sitting next to the Town Manager said he was not provided the opinion the Town Manager was now offering to the vendors…He was astounded at her actions…especially after Comm. Dodd had made the request for that Town Atty. opinion after hearing what took place at the prior bid opening by this writer…
This exchange continued on outside with one perturbed vendor who plans on talking to the Commission at the next meeting on Sept. 9, 2009 and perhaps taking it further…He asked who decided this…and this writer said “She did”…acknowledging the Town Manager who was standing next to him. He said this was wrong… that the bids were now opened and they could be taken in the room and someone’s brother could get the job! YEP!…
The Manager said he may have found such acts in “other towns”…HUH?…YIKES!…(TRUST HER?) She asked for his card…I thought this guy’s company is blackballed, he’s toast……She was not happy about my remarks…but I was reiterating what she has said so many times…SHE runs the town…He proceeded to follow her into Town Hall…This writer then went into the hall to make a public records request for the Town Atty. opinion and will post it when received. The vendor was still giving the Town Manager and her Assist. a piece of his mind and throwing out all the reasons why the Town’s actions in Jarvis Hall were wrong on every perceivable level!
The ads for with the 2 bid packages read this afternoon said the following……” Sealed proposals will be received by the undersigned at the office of the Town Clerk, Town Hall, 4501 Ocean Drive, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida 33308 until 2:00 pm on Tuesday August 11, 2009 AT WHICH TIME THEY WILL BE OPENED AND READ OUT LOUD, shortly thereafter. Any bid received after that time and date will not be considered.”
Again what happened this day…(for the second time)….The Town Clerk read the name and the town and opened the bids…The Town Administration thinks they fulfilled their obligation…OUCH!…
The LBTS Purchasing Manual ..Section I…
page 19 …4.a. ‘ALL TIMELY-RECEIVED BIDS SHALL BE PUBLICLY OPENED IN THE PRESENCE OF WITNESSES AT THE PLACE AND TIME DESIGNATED IN THE RFP. ‘
“PER FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 119.07 91)(m), sealed bids, proposals are exempt from public records until the earlier of 10 days following bid/proposal opening or Town’s notice of intended decision. ”
“Per Florida STATUTES SECTION 286.011, BID OPENINGS AND RELATED BID/RFP EVALUATION /SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND REQUIRE ADVANCED PUBLIC NOTICE.”
ANY RECOURSE HERE IN BANANA VILLE?…. ONLY THE BANANA REPUBLIC KIND…YOU CAN FILE YOUR COMPLAINT WITH THE ONE WHO BRUNG IT ON YA! …YIKES!
8. “Vendors who believe they may have been unfairly treated during the formal bidding process may file a complaint with the Town Manager. Complaints shall be submitted in writing within ten (10) days after the aggrieved vendor knows or should know the fact giving rise thereto. The written protest must be accompanied by a filing fee in the form of a money order or cashier’s check payable to the LBTS in the amount equal to one percent of the contract value, which resulted in the RFP, but no greater than $5,000. The filing fee shall guarantee the payment of all costs which may be adjudged against the protester in any administrative or court proceeding or in investigating a protest. The Town Manger or designee shall promptly issue a decision in writing after consulting with the Town Attorney. The decision shall state the reason the action was taken. A copy of the decision shall be mailed or other wise furnished. immediately to the complainant, and any other party involved.”
Note to…the 14 vendors who came today…
Atlantic Civil Construction/ Coastal Construction/ PBH Enterprises/ DBF Construction/ ARC Builders/ Miguel Lopez/ ABK Construction/ Florida State Works, Inc./ GMI Contracting/ Omega/ Straightline Engineering/ Rickman Int./ Johnson Davis Inc./Man Con/ Mullings Engineering Services….anyone game?….
So what happens now? Commissioner Dodd put an item on the next agenda (Sept. 9th) for the Commission to direct the Town to reword the Town’s purchasing policy to include that all bid prices will be read aloud at the opening of sealed bids!….
Is there any doubt that the Town Manager is painting this town yellow?…
CHIQUITA ANYONE….WE GOT BUNCHES!
more to come….
Tags: banana republic of broward county, local government, Local Politics, opening sealed bid in the backroom, purchaing policies, RFPs, Scoops, Town Manger Esther Colon
