Audit: Cheektowaga "Wasted" Thousands in Public Money

[WNYresident]

Audit: Cheektowaga "Wasted" Thousands in Public Money

TOWN OF CHEEKTOWAGA – A state audit released this month blasted the Town of Cheektowaga for mishandling public works contracts and "wasting" hundreds of thousands of dollars, in one case potentially costing taxpayers an extra $600,000 by choosing an inappropriate bid for sidewalk replacement.

http://www.wgrz.com/story/news/local...laims/7994205/

[Dan Roman]

Jerry said different taxing districts get audited by the state, so I guess then that this means it's ok? What a joke!

[WNYresident]

The audit, conducted by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office, also criticized the town for appearing to "structure and award a bid for public works projects inappropriately." According to the audit, which analyzed the period between Jan. 1, 2010 and Aug. 28, 2013, the town "did not properly award" two contracts for both public works and a sidewalk replacement, which resulted in unfavorable contracts that "failed to act in the best interest of the taxpayers."

I have been saying this all along.

In particular, the audit said the town "wasted thousands of dollars by deciding to use more expensive bulldozers when other equally capable options were available at much lower costs." In another instance, the audit said the town board "paid more than necessary for sidewalk replacement… a significant portion of the additional cost was borne by individual taxpayers." The audit slammed the town for paying $5 or more per square foot to install four-inch sidewalks, instead of 10 cents per square foot for six-inch sidewalks. In all, the audit revealed that taxpayers could have saved about $600,000, had the town installed six-inch sidewalks.

How could this be?

$5 a sqr for 4" versus 10 cents for 6" ?

[WNYresident]

Cost of Cheektowaga sidewalk contract faulted in state audit

The Town of Cheektowaga overpaid for sidewalk replacement by $600,000, with individual property owners picking up a significant portion of the tab, according to a state audit critical of the way the town handles contracts.

The audit has raised even more serious issues for Council Member Angela M. Wozniak. The recently declared candidate for the Assembly questions whether “pay-to-play” is involved.

Released last Friday, the audit by the State Comptroller’s Office covered the period Jan. 1, 2010, to Aug. 28, 2013, and reviewed five contracts for goods and services that totaled $12.6 million.

Read the full story in the Buffalo News

In the response, Supervisor Mary F. Holtz – who was absent from Monday’s meeting – explained that it has been the town’s practice to replace 4-inch-thick sidewalks with 4-inch-thick sidewalks. Six-inch-thick sidewalks were intended to be placed only in commercial areas or at driveway crossings where heavy vehicles would be driving over such sidewalks.

“We agree that the bid specifications should have clarified this,” Holtz wrote.

“In summary, the Town of Cheektowaga acted in good faith and in the best interests of the taxpayers with respect to utilizing public works contracts for the road reconstruction projects.

“With the in-house use of town employees in connection with these projects, the town saved taxpayer money.”

The audit can be viewed at www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/. Click on “Audits of Local Governments,” then “Most Recent Audits.”

how so if the town ended up spending $5 per sqr versus 10 cents per square?

[Dan Roman]

From the report:


We find it highly irregular that a contractor would bid a significantly
lower price for the six-inch sidewalks than for four-inch sidewalks.
This helped drive this contractor to be selected as the low bidder.
When this is coupled with the junior engineer electing to have the
thinner − yet more expensive − sidewalks installed, we find this
highly questionable

[Riven37]

Nothing will come out of this except for a few minor changes in the progress with the way they make up contractors contracts and bidding that's all; business as usual.

[WNYresident]

Jerry said different taxing districts get audited by the state, so I guess then that this means it's ok? What a joke!

That sort of was a non-answer by Jerry.

What does having the audits published on a Saturday have to do with anything? Jerry made a valid point. "past practice" Let us all review. The Cheektowaga Democratic Party has given us all the players that have created all the "past practicing" isn't that right Nogods?

When the reporter asked Angela should she share some of the blame for this I thought that was odd. She was just elected and prob has no access to anything with purchasing or the bidding process. Right? Very good she brings issues like this up.

[WNYresident]

Renewal of that contract and the award of one for sidewalk replacement, to a different company, were tabled Monday night on a motion by Wozniak that was seconded by Council Member Diane M. Benczkowski.

This was good.

[WNYresident]

Go read this:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/...heektowaga.pdf

Town officials also paid more for certain services than necessary
without valid explanation. O

I have two possible explanations...

It is either criminal or we simply do not have qualified people running our town.

Had the junior engineer required the contractor to install six-inch sidewalks (10 cents/square foot) rather than four-inch ($5/square foot), the total cost would have been only $12,100, saving approximately $600,000. In addition, the Town has a cost-sharing policy for sidewalk replacement, where property owners pay for a substantial portion of the cost. Therefore, a significant amount of this additional cost was borne by individual taxpayers for sidewalk replaced on their property

We find it highly irregular that a contractor would bid a signi ficantly lower price for the six-inch sidewalks than for four-inch sidewalks. This helped drive this contractor to be selected as the low bidder. When this is coupled with the junior engineer electing to have the thinner−yet more expensive−sidewalks installed, we find this highly questionable.

This waste of taxpayer money occurred because the Town Engineer failed to exercise proper oversight of the construction contract bid process or adequately supervise the management of the projects. Had the Town Engineer instructed the contractor to install the more durable−yet significantly less costly−six-inch sidewalks, the Town would have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars.

I wonder what the people who made this decision would have picked for sidewalks if they were spending their very own money.

[WNYresident]

Go to page 22:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/...heektowaga.pdf


Think the response clears the issue up?

[gorja]

Go to page 22:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/...heektowaga.pdf


Think the response clears the issue up?

Doesn't Max read his contracts for solid waste disposal? Why does the town board approve payments "willie-nillie"? Don't they some kind of payment audit process prior to paying out claims?

[nogods]

Go to page 22:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/...heektowaga.pdf


Think the response clears the issue up?

Holtz isn't a Mensa member.

Her claim that if the town had acted in a responsible fiscal manner then the contractor would have abandoned the job is proof enough that the town hired the wrong contractor to begin with. She needs to think through her responses before presenting them.

It's like her claim that the unions won't let the town change the way the town provides services to taxpayers. Apparently she thinks the unions and contractors are in charge. If she runs again, the voters should let her know otherwise.

[Frank Broughton]

Holtz isn't a Mensa member.

Her claim that if the town had acted in a responsible fiscal manner then the contractor would have abandoned the job is proof enough that the town hired the wrong contractor to begin with. She needs to think through her responses before presenting them.

It's like her claim that the unions won't let the town change the way the town provides services to taxpayers. Apparently she thinks the unions and contractors are in charge. If she runs again, the voters should let her know otherwise.

Oh boy... nice try dogman.

[Electric Eye]

What company is only charging 10cents a square foot for concrete work?....NO ONE!....I would do my driveway, garage floor, sidewalks and a new patio if it was that cheap.... 1000 sq ft 6in thick for $100!!! count me in!!

[WNYresident]

Oh boy... nice try dogman.

Did you read his post before commenting?