On Tue, 2009-10-13 at 13:42 -0400, David Hardy wrote: > Well, then; that puts a different slant on the operation. Thanks, > Rubin. I just wonder how thoroughly the contractors get vetted for > these gigs. > Well, that's a question.
Personally, I think it's really important to remember that folks on city councils, planning commissions, select boards and the like are not some bunch of big, evil, money grabbing fruitcakes. Especially here in Vermint, they're our neighbors, friends, co-workers, folks-you-bump-into-at-Dudley's when you go for coffee. None of these people are out to screw the 'common guy', as much as right wing radio hosts would like us all to believe otherwise (alright, that may have been a little unnecessary). I hope that in the end everyone will be able to take a breath and listen before they start shouting :) R > > > > On Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 1:36 PM, Rubin Bennett > <[email protected]> wrote: > Not to jump to the defense, as mistakes were obviously made, > but... > > The mistake was found, and the mayor and the city council, > after > speaking to the contractor, were doing their best to get > paid. The > contractor was already heavily leveraged and they didn't want > to go > public for fear that he would just declare bankruptcy and > nobody would > get anything. > > The contractor paid back ~100k of the debt before he finally > was unable > to continue. The city council had, by then, put a lien on one > of the > guys properties (the one that appeared to have the best > likelihood of > some return should the lien have to be executed). > > As a listener to the Mark Johnson show on WDEV this am > mentioned, the > real issue at hand here is how the *Contractor* "mistakenly" > cashed a > check for $468k too much. I don't know about anyone else, but > as a > business owner if someone overpays me, I would immediately > notify them. > That money is now owed to me, and is therefore *not mine*. > Hell, if I > find $20 on the sidewalk, or on the floor of Capitol Grounds, > I try to > track down the owner. > > The real issue is that the contractor stole $468k from the > City of > Montpelier. The city council appears to have tried to do what > was in > the best interest of the city, which was to recover the money. > The only real issue I see so far is that the business owner > stole nearly > 1/2 million dollars and wasn't immediately sent to jail for > it. Of > course the city council had to decide what was in the better > interest > for the city - retribution or repayment of the debt. > > Rubin > > > On Tue, 2009-10-13 at 13:01 -0400, Stanley Brinkerhoff wrote: > > All, > > > > I know this list has members in the Montpelier/surrounding > areas. > > Incase you missed the articles -- apparently Montpelier > overpayed a > > contractor in ~2005 to the tune of $400,000. It wasn't > noticed until > > ~2006, and the city council, nor the mayor have been > entirely > > forthright about its occurrence. They do cite that they > their legal > > requirements by putting it in their counsel minutes (only > available on > > paper via request) and in the "annual report". They also > note > > repayment was ongoing from the vendor who was over-payed, > which made > > them feel as though the "issue was resolved". > > > > Appropriate links > > > > http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091010/NEWS/910109998/ > > http://www.montpelier-vt.org/story/241.html > > > > City Council meets this Wednesday to review the situation > "publically" > > http://www.montpelier-vt.org/community/313.html > > > > Stan > > -- > Rubin Bennett > rbTechnologies, LLC > 80 Carleton Boulevard > East Montpelier, VT 05651 > > (802)223-4448 > http://thatitguy.com > > "Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do > so too." > Voltaire, Essay on Tolerance > French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 - > 1778) > > -- Rubin Bennett rbTechnologies, LLC 80 Carleton Boulevard East Montpelier, VT 05651 (802)223-4448 http://thatitguy.com "Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so too." Voltaire, Essay on Tolerance French author, humanist, rationalist, & satirist (1694 - 1778)
