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Topic: Why vandalize water line companies?

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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

More than $35 million approved to replace 6,000 Flint water lines
Workers from William E. Walter Inc., Fessler & Bowman Inc. and Johnson & Wood LLC work to put a new copper main service line in to replace an old lead line, as part of Mayor Karen Weaver's Fast Start initiative to replace lead-tainted service lines, on Friday, March 25, 2016 on Joliet St. in Flint. Rachel Woolf | MLive.com
Rachel Woolf | rwoolf@mlive.com
Print Email Roberto Acosta | racosta1@mlive.com By Roberto Acosta | racosta1@mlive.com
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on March 26, 2017 at 3:00 PM, updated April 09, 2017 at 12:58 PM
FLINT, MI -- Equipment may begin digging up earth as soon as next month in Flint to replace thousands of lead-tainted water lines to homes in the city.

But some disagreement remains over the process being used to select the companies to complete the work.

City Council members approved seven contracts March 23 totaling more than $35 million for replacement of up to 6,000 pipes and associated clean-up work after city officials pushed for a rebid over claims previous amount proposals came in at too high a cost.

Seven contractors were awarded the work, pending receipt of funds, including $100 million in grant dollars from the federal Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016, $20 million match from the state Department of Environmental Quality and Children Health Insurance grants.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $100-million grant to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to fund drinking water infrastructure upgrades in Flint, funding that had been approved by Congress and former President Barack Obama late last year.

David Sabuda, the city's chief financial officer, said a portion of the funds is expected to be received in the next few days. Michael McDaniel, the coordinator of the Fast Start line replacement program, said contractors expect to replace at least four lines a day once the work begins.

Approximately 800 water lines have been replaced since the beginning of Mayor Karen Weaver's Fast Start Initiative in March 2016. The city has estimated around 20,000 lead and lead-tainted galvanized iron service lines leading from the water main to the water meter of homes still need to be replaced.

Councilwoman Kate Fields cast the lone no vote during the recent approval, with Councilwoman Jackie Poplar not in attendance, arguing the bid process was not being conducted properly.

"I am and a lot of people are concerned about these contracts," she said of the fourth phase of pipe replacement, adding Flint purchasing director Derrick Jones noted the bid did not meet state guidelines at the time.

Fields has submitted Freedom of Information Act requests to the state and city of Flint to see documents pertaining any rebid request by the MDEQ after Goyette Mechanical previously submitted a bid for all 10 zones that fit under the state's required $5,000 cap per household for each replacement.

"I would like a written rationale into legal, a written rationale for this pipe rebid," she said. "Unless I see something that's really legitimate, my opinion is that this bid has been corrupted once again."


Flint City Council members say the decision to reopen bids for the fourth phase of a program replacing Flint's lead-tainted pipes reminds them of the controversy surrounding the city's recent trash contract.

McDaniel argued Goyette's bid was non-conforming because the dollar figures were based on a per-home basis and not the length of pipe needed to perform the work.

"It would have been wholly unfair to the other bidders if we were to accept that," he said, while later pointing out the company had calculated the amount per foot based upon an average of 30 feet and using their own inspectors.

Representatives from Goyette did attend a Feb. 22 committee meeting to address the city's decision to reopen bids, saying that their initial bid has been revealed and gives competitors an opportunity to underbid their $4,200 per house submission.

Goyette was one of the companies chosen to work on the second and third phases of the Fast Start program.

Flint council approves contracts for nearly 750 more pipe replacementsThe Flint city council has approved two contracts that will fund the third phase of water service line replacement in the city.

Previous bid proposals have gone out with every contractor coming in too high, with the exception of Goyette, McDaniel said.

"It's on me that maybe I tried something new that I shouldn't and it was too confusing," he said. "If so, I take that (responsibility) but we did do it fairly the second time around and everybody bid per address."

Prior to a vote on the contracts, Councilman Herbert Winfrey said "I don't see where there's this attempt to do some skullduggery. If you don't listen, you might miss something."

City officials have said it could still take up to three years to replace all of the service lines, with an average of 6,000 homes to be completed each year through 2019.

Officials say it may take 3 more years to replace Flint's water pipes
Officials say it may take 3 more years to replace Flint's water pipes
The city is looking to replace service lines at 6,000 homes this year continuing with the fourth phase of Mayor Karen Weaver's Fast Start initiative.

Here's a breakdown of the contracts totaling more than $35.6 million, including amounts not be exceeded, the awarded company and work to be performed:

-$10,980,000: WT Stevens Construction Inc. for up to 2,700 residential water line replacements in Zones 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9

-$9,148,500: Goyette Mechanical for up to 2,100 residential water line replacements in Zones 2, 3, 6, and 8

-$5,344,200: Zito Construction for pavement/right-of-way repair restoration services after water service line repair for Zones 2, 4, 8, and 10

-$4,486,500: AFSCME Local 1600/AFSCME Local 1799 for pavement/right-of-way repair restoration services after water service line repair for Zones 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9

-$2,335,950: Waldorf & Sons for up to 600 residential water line replacements in Zone 4

-$1,890,675: Lang Construction Inc. for up to 600 residential water line replacements in Zone 10

-$1,159,650: Yeager Asphalt for pavement/right-of-way repair restoration services after water service line repair for Zone 1
Post Sun May 14, 2017 5:24 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

FLINT NEWS

See the damage done by vandals to water service line equipment in Flint
Updated May 12, 2017
Posted May 12, 2017


IMG_2472.jpg
'It's unbelievable, and it's sad'
Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said a crew with WT Stevens Construction Inc. discovered a burned truck and damage dome to other equipment when they showed up at a staging area where equipment had been left in a parking lot behind the shuttered Bryant Elementary School on Friday, May 12.
The crew was preparing to work on water service line replacements, part of a massive effort to replace 6,000 of the connector pipes this year.
"I don't know what a motive could be," Weaver said at the site on East Pierson Road in Flint's 1st Ward. "When they are caught, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
"It's unbelievable, and it's sad," she said.

Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
IMG_2476.jpg
Contractor says work has been slowed but won't stop
Jeffrey Grayer, part owner and project manager for Stevens, said the company is committed to completing its work in Flint.
The city is using federal funds in an effort to remove and replace lead and galvanized service lines, which were damaged by corrosive water, leaching lead into the city's water supply.
"I'm really sad and displeased, and a little confused as to why," Grayer said of the damage done to equipment. "This, of course, is my hometown. I take much pride in the city itself and the residents and people who live here.
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
IMG_2491.jpg
Work truck destroyed by fire
A Michigan State Police fire inspector rakes through the interior of a work truck destroyed by fire in the parking lot of Bryant.
Police are investigating the vandalism, and Weaver said they "have some information that leads us to believe" adults were responsible.
"That makes it worse that adults would do something like this -- that anybody would prevent us from getting clean water when we've been dealing with this for three years now...," Weaver said.
"To do this to people who are here to help us, you know, you have to hope the contractors don't say, 'I don't want to be bothered by this.
"If you all want to destroy yourselves (that's one thing, but) I don't have to be bothered with this' "the mayor said. "It's not fair to the contractors who are here to help us, and its not fair to the people."




Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
IMG_2493.jpg
Two subcontractors of WT Stevens Construction suffered losses
Equipment from two subcontractors of Stevens was damaged in the vandalism. The subcontractors are Hard Rock Drilling & Excavating and Gustafson Excavating, according to the city.
Stevens has the largest contract with the city for replacing service lines -- up to 2,700 lines in five different wards in Flint.
Its contract is for $10.9 million.
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
IMG_2497.jpg
Windows smashed
"We don't know how far behind this will put us," Weaver said the destruction.
Flint just started an ambitious program to replace 6,000 service lines in 2017. So far, only about 950 service lines have been replaced in the city, and this year's effort just started late last month.
Companies awarded city contracts to do the service line work are Stevens, Goyette Mechanical Co., Lang Constructors, and Waldorf and Sons Inc.
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com


"I don't know what a motive could be," Weaver said of the vandalism. "It's (done by) a special kind of person. Special is a bad way."
Police "are trying to look at some video" that could be helpful in their investigation, she said.
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com

Moving forward
Grayer said every piece of equipment on the site was damaged in some way.
"It was a huge setback for us," he said, but the company is "committed to making this happen. It's not going to stop us."
Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
Post Sun May 14, 2017 6:41 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

See the damage done by vandals to water service line equipment in Flint
www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/.../see_the_damage_done_by_vandals.html
2 days ago - Equipment from two subcontractors of Stevens was damaged in the vandalism. The subcontractors are Hard Rock Drilling & Excavating and ...
Pipe replacements delayed after vandals destroy contractor's equipment
Post Sun May 14, 2017 6:44 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Initial reports from the Mayor's office to the media indicated the vandalism was to W T Stevens company equipment. WT Stevens is a female minority owned company. Early reports from television coverage had reports of damage to the truck and other equipment belonging to sub-contractor Hard Rock Directional Drilling out of Jackson. This company appears to have good to excellent reviews.

The second story by Ron Fonger of the Flint Journal identified a second subcontractor, Gustafson. The only drilling company by that name that I have located so far does not have the best of reviews.

The big question is did W T Stevens have the capacity for the major portion of the water pipe replacements? Was the use of sub-contractors a part of the bid? Who made the decision on qualifications? Or did the fact that this was the only minority company bidding a key factor in the awarding of the bids?
Post Sun May 14, 2017 6:56 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The company was started in 1977 by the father of Rhonda Grayer and Norma Stevens, a former Flint police officer. The incorporated and carried on the father's business.

The company moved from 934 Ruth to the Oak Business Center on 2712 N. Saginaw #207. The Oak Business Center is owned by the Flint Economic Development and is generally considered to be a business incubator. Reviews of the company show a range of employees from 3 to 10.

What concerns me is the issue of capacity to perform the task. During the RTAB meeting of 8-10-16, Kay Muhammad argued that the waste collection company Emterra was rejected on the basis they "did not have the capacity to provide the services in the time frame that was asked". It was said to be an issue of the lowest responsible bidder.
Post Sun May 14, 2017 7:09 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

During a City Council meeting the issue of W T Stevens being behind in the performance of their contract was raised as well as possible penalties. Those issues are frequently brought up in the M-Live comments on stories involving the pipelines.

So if W T Stevens needed subcontractors to perform the tasks included in the contract, was that noted in the bid documents? Who made the final decision on qualifications? It is not unusual for contractors to use a wide range of subcontractors, but I would like to know if Council knew.

Former 5th Ward Councilman Matt Taylor converted his garage area into a large meeting/community room. At one time the Minority Contractors Association held their meetings there. Frank Timmons, owner of AAK Construction, as well as other construction companies often had problems working with the City. Timmons lost a mowing contract over equipment although he has lease agreements for 4 Kutoba tractors in addition to those he owned.
Post Sun May 14, 2017 7:26 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Campaign Finance Committees - Genesee County
www.gc4me.com/departments/county_clerks1/campaign_finance_committees.php
Genesee CountyCampaign Finance Committees Our campaign finance committee ... __ » County Clerks » Election Division » Campaign Finance Committees ... take you off of our site and over to the web site for Michigan's Secretary of State.



I pulled up Karen Weaver's Campaign Finance Reports. I had noticed W T Stevens on the report before and thought the entry meant the corporation, which would have been illegal. Now I realize the entry is for W T Stevens as owner of the corporation. Interesting as the County Clerk's records show a death certificate for WT Stevens in 2002. The company has a new slick site for the business and talks about honoring their father.

Either way the $1500 donation to Weaver's Campaign Fund on September 26, 2016 looks suspicious to me.


Last edited by untanglingwebs on Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
Post Sun May 14, 2017 9:20 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Comments on the vandalism reveal an anger by some that Goyette won the original bid and Weaver forced the contract to be rebid. Was Goyette's bid compromised in the rebid as some believe? Goyette was said to be unhappy, but taking the high road.

The issue of "on time performance" o previous bids came up again. Some actually believed City hall got a kickback for awarding the contract. However another contractor noted how a female and minority owned company could get significant preference in government contracts. He indicated some contractors put the company in the wife's name to get the preference.
Post Sun May 14, 2017 10:01 am 
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