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8/20/2009
It's a little late to take a stand
That mess at the Appleton Water Plant just doesn’t go away. Earlier this week the Post-Crescent editorialized about the continuing saga of the city trying to get a measly $200,000 cash as part of another measly $3.7 million settlement for the travesties that went on surrounding that water plant.
I shared some of the fiasco of building the water plant here if you care to read about the down deep disturbing dirty laundry.
$11 million bucks. Or $16 million. What’s a few million here and there? Both are included in the new consultant’s study that finally brings the “brutal” news of the tab so far to fix what should be a still almost-brand-new $55 million Appleton Water Plant. It was a good time to review and share the genesis of today’s problems from over a decade ago.
Here’s the absolutely critical message: Public money is not meant to be thrown around lightly; sole source bids are very rarely the path to take.…Question, question, question. Trust yes, but verify. And never ever stop fighting for what is right. So all these problems show up, and we learn the city is only protected to a max $5 million in “mistake” money. Needless t o say, that’s not close to what it continues to take to right the wrongs of that plant’s construction and operation. And, years and years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorney and expert testimony fees and the city can’t even get the $5 million, but instead finally settles for $3.7M.
I had to fight for years to get the Post-Crescent to write about the water plant mess in the first place. And yes, Steve Wideman and his editors brought all the dirty laundry to the attention of their readers. And yes, they’ve stayed on top of it. But only now have they decided they need to take a stand. And they’re doing it over $200,000 lousy bucks?
As part of the [$3.7M] deal, CNA is supposed to give Appleton $200,000 in cash. The sides were to work out a formal agreement to finalize the details of the repair work.
But now, CNA wants to change the terms of the binding settlement and hasn't paid the city its $200,000.
City taxpayers are sick of getting jerked around because of the water plant. It's time to take a stand. The city can take it on solid footing. You’ve got to be kidding. It was time to take a stand 10 years ago when the public was being taken to the cleaners by a manager in over his head and a huge no-bid contract. Geez. And finally the city is supposed to take a stand? Yes, I freely acknowledge – it’s personal, as I started fighting this thing in 1998.
August 18, 2009. It’s a little late.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
The parallels to the Menasha Steam Plant are incredible. Thing is, the Steam Plant is (and continues to be) a far greater burden to a smaller community.
I really wonder whether anything can ever be done to force elected officials to accountability.
Getting voted out of office really seems to me like a very minor consequence for those who stick it to the constituents while taking care of those who they wish to award those no-bid contracts.
Prevention is the key - keeping a vigilant eye on the rascals so they don't go down this path again.
Jeff Riedl (Thu Aug 20 10:50:19 2009)
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