20 Trees…
When last we discussed the Esther Colon “20 tree” theory of projects…(previous post…scoop &LBTS agenda/metings category..2/24/09 Commission meeting #3)…Ms. Colon was painfully trying to “cover” for her administration’s inability to follow through with a major Capital Improvement project wherein proper personnel were in place to see that the companies hired had fully reviewed the structure and that all the “t’s” were crossed and” i’s” were dotted so that “20 trees” meant 20 trees …In allowing for Commissioners and those long involved in Town events to have regular updates …providing transparency because an extra set of eyes familiar with the needs of the Town might have found in the pre-planning stages….that 20 trees meant an inferior landscape…..pointing out those extras needed to make this landscape full and lush …exactly what was required!…
The late change order on the Pavilion only offered after all the discussion…and the lambasting of Comm. Dodd…. 10 extra EFI outlets…at a cost of $1200 …no extra amperage….no “boards” as were the costly electrical discovery Comm. Dodd pointed out at the July 4th event. He brought this up in his Commissioner comments on 2/25/09…after seeing the late addition to the agenda and looking it over after the meeting…after the vote saying the $13 thousand and change as Comm. Silverstone referred to it ….did not do what would have been required to ensure this. The Town Manager informed Comm. Dodd after these meetings that in order to have 2- 50 amp plugs that would make it possible to purchase the boards and not pay each time for the electricians, he would have to request it! What was used was a 60 amp service as is used by Dave Gadsby for Village Grille events…What Comm. Dodd was looking for … a “uniform” system to use for El Prado and the Pavilion….but if you “play” by the “2-Hats” code of being a Commissioner…Hands off!…Commissioner Dodd just keep mum and let the Town Manager and staff do their job ….inferior or not!
By the way…Dear Readers….during this Town Manager Report exchange we all saw government spending at it’s best…whether it was Commissioner Clottey saying it was “only a thousand dollars”…”nothing lavish.”……Vice Mayor Mcintee calling it a “nominal amount” … Commissioner Silverstone with his “13 and change” remark…along with the Town Manager saying …quite evasively that there was” an additional amount in her memo”…the amount really asked for…voted on and approved…….close to $20 thousand….
UPDATE/CORRECTION…after reviewing the backup exhibits a,b &c……the amount was $13,298.50…the confusion from the tape was cleared up with the backup materials…
Why did $2o thousand stick in this writer’s craw?….Because way back when in the “real planning stage” of the Pavilion in 2007…the MPSC was asked to choose an architectural firm…and they did Russell Partnership…but the Town Manager asked the Commission to hold off …Why?… She thought she could get it done for less…with O’campo…$20 thousand dollars less!…OOPS!…
more to come…
Tags: LBTS Agendas/Meetings, Local Politics, pavilion. scoops, Scoops, update
