On Mar 12, 2004, at 11:59 AM, Lisa McDonald wrote:Actually Chris is right. Unless a council member has a special interest in this (as Steve Minn did on the former council), staff is responsible for RFP's.
Thanks for the correction, Lisa. Sorry I was wrong in my last sentence.
One other correction: Eureka has only been operating its own recycling pickup since April 2003 - so they have yet to celebrate their first anniversary as an operator.
I think you're splitting hairs, David. Eureka has been in operation for 15 years as an entity, became Eureka Recycling as a separate entity in 2001, and began picking up recyclables via truck in April, 2003.
Picking up the recyclables via truck is not rocket science, and is absolutely not the critical element in this contract. What is done with those recyclable materials is key, and the fees are a close second. To criticize Eureka for only picking up since April 2003 is to completely miss the point.
Further, any criticism of Eureka for its name and organizational changes, while at the same downplaying or intentionally ignoring WMI's and BFI's extremely checkered pasts is completely bankrupt. If Eureka's history is a valid concern, so is the history of Waste Management and BFI. And the history of those two latter companies ought to make any sane citizen run the other direction screaming.
What part of "single most fined company in American for environmental law breaking" is not clear?
As for Lisa's observation that councilmembers can basically do what they want, I think that undermines Grow's observation that somehow the RFP excessively binds the council. The staff provides a starting point, but the council is ultimately responsible.
I read Grow's comments as the RFP binding the council on what it can say in council debate for fear of lawsuit, not what council can decide. Minneapolis certainly has had its share of lawsuits for poor decisions made by staff and council. Maybe it's time for better legal advice?
It would be an interesting vote for a fiscal moderate who is also an environmentalist.
How hard can it be? Eureka's bid is within 1% on contractual dollars of the lowest bid. I've already demonstrated that on a larger economic scale, Eureka will bring far more than that 1% difference to Minneapolis via more indirect spending. Eureka is the better environmental choice. Eureka is the better choice for living-wage jobs. Eureka is the better total economic choice. Eureka has no reputation for price-fixing, dumping recyclables in landfills, bribery and extortion. Eureka is only slightly off the mark for contractual dollars. How big an inconvenience would it be if Eureka failed to perform, given that WMI or BFI would be likely be happy to swoop in and "rescue" the city?
How much more obvious can it be, to fiscal moderates or even conservatives?
David:
Incidentally, I didn't accuse anyone of a crime -- I said the behavior appears like bribery is being committed. That means it looks the same as if bribery were actually being committed, and it does. Would you care to argue it does not? Give me some evidence. Why are "sources" at the city trying to pin the blame on the city council? Why were Waste Management and BFI made aware of Eureka's best bid, and then allowed to rebid? Why was Waste Management the favorite (and still is, apparently) even though Eureka and BFI both proposed better contractual fees for the city? There may be good reasons for most of those questions, but they aren't obvious and easily found. Does that pass that smell test for you? I'm undecided, but it sure does not look right.
Chris Johnson Fulton
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
