Mayor and Manager Shenanigans

 Two issues involving the Mayor and the Manager that absolutely bleed taxpayer confidence in their elected representatives need a thorough airing.
Reclaimed  Water  Debacle
How did we get from a simple  premise,  that in order to ease the amount of reclaimed water being released in to the river ALL reclaimed users would be encouraged to use more reclaimed water without having to pay for same for a 60 day period, to writing off a $7,800 water bill for the Mayor ??
I am not looking for a feel good glossed over explanation as contained in the Managers memo of Feb 20^th    but rather a comprehensive  explanation that at a minimum addresses and provides

• 1)   any deficiencies  in the ordinance language, and why  those deficiencies occurred.
• 2)   the Manager’s self proclaimed authority to adjust water bills retroactively.
• 3)   why Council was not appraised of the Finance department’s inability to handle this plan as approved
• 4)   which customers have gotten additional free water over and above others.

Contract extensions,  Diverted fill dirt,  New contract for Masci Construction
Agenda item # 18 from the October 15^th 2013 meeting requested Council  to approve a 30 day extension to accommodate  delay problems with concluding the Masci contract for the Halifax Canal Reclaimed Water Augmentation  Project which had substantial  and final completion dates of Oct 18^th and Nov 17^th   respectively.   Council never approved that 30 day extension request AND has never received the report on this project that it requested that evening.
Now here it is some 90 days later and we are being told Masci will only be 8 days late IF COUNCIL APPROVES  the project engineer/supervisors  recommendation to declare  Jan 7^th 2014  as the appropriate conclusion date for this project  WITHOUT ever understanding the reasons for the delays,  OR the role the project engineer [who should never have been hired as the project supervisor]  had in those delays.
Who exactly would you have us believe is looking out for the taxpayers interest ???
Around the same time last fall it was determined that Masci Construction diverted [ without authorization  ]  some 90 Dump truck loads of fill dirt belonging to the City  to a project in South Daytona that we only recently learned  Mayor Green has an involvement with.   At that  time taxpayers were assured that Masci  would be paying for that diverted fill in the amount of approximately $10,000.
Was  that payment ever received,   and if so would you please provide  a copy of  Masci’s check the City received, and the  deposit slip where it deposited same ??.
Finally at tonight’s meeting the Manager is recommending that the City award more construction contracts to Masci.
Do you or your Council brethren realize just how bad all of this looks  to the average taxpayer ??
Some honest answers sure would be appreciated.
Ted Noftall

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Item 18 –        Dunlawton Drainage Improvements & Halifax Canal Reclaimed Water Augmentation Project, Change Order #1
 The Dunlawton Drainage Improvements & Halifax Canal Reclaimed Water Augmentation Project is being completed on schedule at this time with the exception of the material delivery of the Leaf Gate to be utilized for controlling the water flow in the Halifax Canal.  The contractor has recently requested a time extension to our existing contract of an additional 30 days.  We believe that this request is reasonable under the circumstances presented. We therefore request your approval of this minor time extension at this time.
 FDEP and FDOT Grants were acquired for $1.25 million and $1.5 million respectively and also a FEMA Grant for $570,553 was also obtained to fully fund the construction of this project. Project costs are currently running under the original and existing contract amount of $ 2,929,155.
 Staff recommends approving Change Order #1 to the contract with Masci Construction (Bid for an additional 30 day time extension making then final completion date December 17, 2013, and authorizing the Mayor and City Manager to sign and execute all required associated contract documents on behalf of the City. Project DIP048