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Until very recently, it was a well-kept secret that for at least six months the City and its project engineer for the waste water treatment plant upgrade (O’Brien & Gere) have been unable to get the new system to work as intended. Several weeks ago, just before the primary election, Barrie Tilghman and Gary Comegys did a "public affairs" radio program to promote Bubba for mayor in which they discussed the WWTP in glowing terms and Comegys attempted to portray himself as the one responsible for the success of the upgrade and expansion of its capacity. No mention whatsoever was made about the ongoing problem. (see audio link to this interview on the right hand side of this blog)
If at the time we had known about the real situation, it’s almost certain that Bob Caldwell would have beaten Bubba in the primary election on March 3rd. So, Barrie and her choice to become her successor as mayor engaged in false representation and cover-up – their blatant blather broadcast on WICO is posted elsewhere on this blog. Click on http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/26/2067396/Bubba-WWTP_%28Mar.3_09%29.mp3 Comegys - WWTP under the “Audio Files” heading on the right.
On March 12 Barrie brazenly bragged, as part of her "State of the City" address, that: "the upgrade and expansion of the Waste Water Treatment Plant was substantially completed in 2008," without mentioning that it still cannot be operated as intended. And there have been other statements by Barrie and Bubba claiming full credit for the "success" of the project.
But we now know that on the very day that Barrie gave her speech on PAC 14 members of her administration were in conference by telephone with the engineering consultant that the City apparently has retained to replace the initial project engineer. Mr. Stover’s letter to the City’s Wastewater Treatment Superintendent dated March 13, 2009, begins as follows:
"Dear Mr. Winslow:
Thank you and everyone for your time yesterday to discuss your wastewater treatment plant situation. It is a very interesting, but obviously very disappointing position to be in at this time.
It sounds like your treatment plant has been plagued with both process and physical/mechanical problems since start-up. . . ."
The letter outlines his prospective services in several separate phases, and states: "I propose that you consider a starting budget of around U.S. $20,000.00 to complete the Phase I scope."
In a memo written several days later, the City’s Deputy Director of Public Works stated that "the City has selected another Engineer / Operations Expert (suspending O’Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc.) to assist the City in wastewater-treatment-process engineering, functional operations, and adjustments for the upgraded and expanded WWTP processes and facilitate compliance with NPDES limits within the remaining 1.5 – month time period, to avoid enforcement measures from MDE and EPA and prevent a non-compliant discharge to the environment from the Salisbury WWTP."
That memo also states that "it is difficult at this time to estimate the extent of the remaining work efforts for Phase II and Phase III" and therefore "these work activities are to be provided via authorized change orders at later dates." Thus, it appears that the special consultant’s services will ultimately cost much more than the initial amount ($20,000). And we have no idea what the other costs to make the system work properly might be – or even if it can be made to work as intended at any cost.
Nothing has been disclosed to date about the liability of O’Brien & Gere or anyone else for a system that is still nonfunctional, albeit "substantially completed" according to Barrie, who is now trying to make it appear that only minor tweaking is needed to prevent "hiccups" from happening in the treatment process. Thus, we don’t yet know whether or how much the City gets screwed again.
Since the debacle at the WWTP has become public knowledge, nothing about it has been stated by Bubba Comegys, who has apparently forgotten his now notorious attempt to cast himself as the "father of the WWTP." Apparently he is content to let Barrie do her standard spiel about how the blogs and certain members of the City Council are to blame for the entire situation. Here’s how to deal with this pair: don’t get mad, get even at the polls on April 7.
Links of interest:
Consultant’s Letter to City dated March 13, 2009:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/22/1774763/3-13-09%20The%20Stover%20Group%20Proposal.pdf
City Memo of March 16, 2009:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/22/1774763/3-16-09%20Memo%20Request%20Stover.pdf
If at the time we had known about the real situation, it’s almost certain that Bob Caldwell would have beaten Bubba in the primary election on March 3rd. So, Barrie and her choice to become her successor as mayor engaged in false representation and cover-up – their blatant blather broadcast on WICO is posted elsewhere on this blog. Click on http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/26/2067396/Bubba-WWTP_%28Mar.3_09%29.mp3 Comegys - WWTP under the “Audio Files” heading on the right.
On March 12 Barrie brazenly bragged, as part of her "State of the City" address, that: "the upgrade and expansion of the Waste Water Treatment Plant was substantially completed in 2008," without mentioning that it still cannot be operated as intended. And there have been other statements by Barrie and Bubba claiming full credit for the "success" of the project.
But we now know that on the very day that Barrie gave her speech on PAC 14 members of her administration were in conference by telephone with the engineering consultant that the City apparently has retained to replace the initial project engineer. Mr. Stover’s letter to the City’s Wastewater Treatment Superintendent dated March 13, 2009, begins as follows:
"Dear Mr. Winslow:
Thank you and everyone for your time yesterday to discuss your wastewater treatment plant situation. It is a very interesting, but obviously very disappointing position to be in at this time.
It sounds like your treatment plant has been plagued with both process and physical/mechanical problems since start-up. . . ."
The letter outlines his prospective services in several separate phases, and states: "I propose that you consider a starting budget of around U.S. $20,000.00 to complete the Phase I scope."
In a memo written several days later, the City’s Deputy Director of Public Works stated that "the City has selected another Engineer / Operations Expert (suspending O’Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc.) to assist the City in wastewater-treatment-process engineering, functional operations, and adjustments for the upgraded and expanded WWTP processes and facilitate compliance with NPDES limits within the remaining 1.5 – month time period, to avoid enforcement measures from MDE and EPA and prevent a non-compliant discharge to the environment from the Salisbury WWTP."
That memo also states that "it is difficult at this time to estimate the extent of the remaining work efforts for Phase II and Phase III" and therefore "these work activities are to be provided via authorized change orders at later dates." Thus, it appears that the special consultant’s services will ultimately cost much more than the initial amount ($20,000). And we have no idea what the other costs to make the system work properly might be – or even if it can be made to work as intended at any cost.
Nothing has been disclosed to date about the liability of O’Brien & Gere or anyone else for a system that is still nonfunctional, albeit "substantially completed" according to Barrie, who is now trying to make it appear that only minor tweaking is needed to prevent "hiccups" from happening in the treatment process. Thus, we don’t yet know whether or how much the City gets screwed again.
Since the debacle at the WWTP has become public knowledge, nothing about it has been stated by Bubba Comegys, who has apparently forgotten his now notorious attempt to cast himself as the "father of the WWTP." Apparently he is content to let Barrie do her standard spiel about how the blogs and certain members of the City Council are to blame for the entire situation. Here’s how to deal with this pair: don’t get mad, get even at the polls on April 7.
Links of interest:
Consultant’s Letter to City dated March 13, 2009:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/22/1774763/3-13-09%20The%20Stover%20Group%20Proposal.pdf
City Memo of March 16, 2009:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/2/22/1774763/3-16-09%20Memo%20Request%20Stover.pdf
11 comments:
Here, here!
Had the lie been known, Caldwell would have beaten Comegys.
This Caldwell supporter WILL be voting Ireton on April 7. (Never disliked Ireton, just preferred Caldwell.)
Between Ireton and Comegys, it's no damn contest.
Totally without a conscience. Those who accept responsibility without knowledge of area. Salisbury has never changed. Guess why my family moved away 15 years ago..Absolutely nothing has changed for the better. Salisbury has remained a Little Pond for Local Big stupid Little Fish.
I find it interesting that no media has asked Comegys for a comment on this! He is getting a free pass by not being asked.
Like 9:50am said... why isn't this being covered by WBOC or the Daily Slime? I think I might call WBOC and ask them who's covering it for the evening news. I'll post back their response.
Excellent piece of writing.
This incident should eliminate Mr Comegys from winning the Mayoral election. He has proven to be untrustworthy to the citizens of our city as well as the Mayor. All City employees should be very cautious for the next few weeks. The word is that the Mayor is looking to take out anyone in her path before she goes out. There are many personnel atacks going on throughout the City right now. Just look at the Police department. Three fine men have been suspended for unknown reasons. This woman will eliminate anyone who questions her or brings to light her dirty dealings. Jim Ireton cant get her soon enough.
Can anyone give a brief history on this project, like when it was approved, and why an experimental design was used? More importantly--what good old boys made a profit from this, cause we all know thats the reason anything gets approved by Barrie.
I don't just want an apology, I want my damned money back!
Yes, we should get our money back by suing the designer and the company that installed this mess of a WWTP. Then we should go after John Jacobs and Barry too. I can't imagine what they were thinking on this?
WOW! One of the best written pieces I've seen in a long time, here or elsewhere. Its author has a grasp of the situation and an ability to sum it up succinctly that's admirable.
It sure got me to thinking! What if this project can't be made to work as originally intended despite dumping God knows how much MORE taxpayer money into it? What happens then? Do we just chalk it up to experience and start over? Now a question for the Mayor and Mr. Comegys: ISN'T THAT SOME RATHER EXPENSIVE CHALK?
I find it distressing (to put it mildly) that Ms. Tilghman refers to the problems with this project as "hiccups". Even IF the $20,000 in consultant fees represented the total cost to correct this disaster, that would be one damned expensive cure for "hiccups", wouldn't you say, Mayor? (And let's be real here: That 20K may very well represent only the tip of the spending iceberg before all is said and done.) While $20,000 probably isn't much money to you, Mayor,let me assure you that it's way more than pocket change to the VAST majority of hardworking Salisbury taxpayers who have no political agendas. For most of US, our agenda is putting next week's food on our tables, paying our mortgages, and trying to make it until our next overtaxed paycheck comes in.
Ms. Mayor and Mr. Comegys (the latter included since you've publicly admitted being the father of our disastrous WWTP child), aren't we the people - we the FINANCIERS of this project - at least entitled to know to what extent, if any,O'Brien & Gere will be held legally and financially accountable for this debacle? Or is it possible that even you don't know the answer to that? If you don't, I have a super bright suggestion for you: FIND OUT!! WE WANT TO KNOW....N-O-W! It is the least you us owe for the fiasco your temerity was instrumental in getting us into. (If you don't know what "temerity" is, look it up. It has characterized way too much of your time in office and, at times, your personal conduct while in the public eye.)
Mayor, not long ago you asserted that our city was "under siege" by the blogs. I totally disagree with you, but if you're right and I'm wrong about this(pay close attention: an unpleasant dose of medicine follows), did you ever stop to think that MAYBE it is because of cover-ups like the one that was just exposed on this blog Monday? Where else can good citizens turn to find out what's happening in our own government? To your office? To Mr. Comegys who never answered me the one time I emailed him ions ago? To The Daily Times who even now is soft-peddling this story (again putting it mildly). The same Daily Times who, for whatever mysterious reasons, suddenly found it necessary last Sunday morning to remove the online version of a letter to the editor daring to praise Mrs. Campbell (a sworn enemy of yours) while challenging Mr. Boda to think rationally for a change?
No, Mrs. Tilghman, the local blogs are here largely because of cover ups, shadiness, secret good old boy networks, and a council majority who has long since worn out its rubber stamp and its welcome. So, if Salisbury News is such a menace, you might want to reflect during your retirement days on just what - and WHO - made it that way.
Personally I think you owe the very people you hate so badly - you know, Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Cohen, Mike Lewis, one Mr. Joe Albero, GA Harris, folk like that - a debt of thanks as you prepare to leave office. Without the likes of them, we'd be paying more taxes than we already do, the accountability we do have wouldn't exist, and perhaps worst of all, the citizenry would be totally in the dark about what goes on at the highest level of city government. In short, you owe them thanks because they did your job for you while we paid YOU to do it. However, since you curse these people instead of thanking them for their service, then "I" will do that for you.
THANK YOU Debbie, Terry, Sheriff Lewis (a hell of a lawman if you ask me), Joe, GA - for services well-rendered.
And to our next Mayor, Jim Ireton, I say: Thank YOU for being willing to come in and clean up the monumental mess left behind by the current administration. You've got one BIG task before you, sir, but you've also got the support of us who love the city and still believe that we can SEE SALISBURY SHINE (love that slogan, Mrs. Campbell) once the right people take office. You won't be alone, Jim! We admire your courage and will back you all the way. Stay strong, we believe in you.
And we know that with you as Mayor, the day isn't far away when folk like me won't have to be afraid of putting their name to a blog posting. It'll be a non-issue under your administration anyway since I won't NEED to write a post like this.
Just 13 more days, good people. Let's CLEAN HOUSE. A new broom sweeps clean!
12:42, what makes you think they were thinking?
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