federal investigation after audit reveals town overpaid 2 vendors by over $100,000

[WNYresident]

Cheektowaga lawmaker calls for federal probe of town contracts

CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WIVB) – In the wake of a critical audit of town contracts by the State Comptroller’s Office, Cheektowaga Councilmember Angela Wozniak is requesting a federal investigation into possible bid-rigging.

Overpayments for new sidewalks and other public works projects seemed to be so obvious to Wozniak, she suspected there might be more to it.

So Wozniak asked the State Comptroller to audit the town’s contracts, and the audit turned up what the auditor called a “highly questionable” practice for awarding contracts, “which led the town to waste nearly one million dollars of taxpayer funds, and for that the town taxpayers need answers.”

Among the findings in the Comptroller’s audit: The town overpaid two vendors more than $100,000 for solid waste disposal and sidewalk replacement.

http://wivb.com/2014/05/07/cheektowa...own-contracts/

[nogods]

What is her evidence of bid rigging? Is it just the 6-inch vs 4-inch fiasco or does she have something more?

Don't get me wrong, I think the 6-inch vs 4-inch fiasco is sufficient by itself to justify an investigation, but I'd like to know if Angela has more than that alone.

Mary's explanations have been unintelligible. First she said the contractor would walk off the job if they made him perform as required under the contract. Then she said all was good because after the overcharges were caught by the state they were paid back to the town. Does she really think either claim is justification to ignore what happened and just go on with business as usual?

There are separate issues - how did that contractor get the the contract in the first place (the bid-rigging) and how did that contractor get overpaid under the contract, whether or not it was the result of bid-rigging.

[Electric Eye]

Myself and 25+ neighbors received our certified letters today from the town ORDERING us to repair the sidewalks in front of our homes and SUCH work MUST be completed on or Before June 16th, 2014...if we don't the town will.

Then the town will place a lien on our property. The Town's share of the replacement is $46.40-$51.20 for each 5ft linear block. Our portion will be $69.60-76.80 per 5ft linear block plus 6% interest if not paid in full by 9/2/2014.

I am getting a estimate in the morning just to see if I am getting a fair deal from the town!

[nogods]

Myself and 25+ neighbors received our certified letters today from the town ORDERING us to repair the sidewalks in front of our homes and SUCH work MUST be completed on or Before June 16th, 2014...if we don't the town will.

Then the town will place a lien on our property. The Town's share of the replacement is $46.40-$51.20 for each 5ft linear block. Our portion will be $69.60-76.80 per 5ft linear block plus 6% interest if not paid in full by 9/2/2014.

I am getting a estimate in the morning just to see if I am getting a fair deal from the town!

You are getting a deal from the town, but consider this:

1. Ask now if that price includes replacing the disrupted top soil and reseeding of the area. And get the response in writing from the Highway Department as to whether that restoration work will be done by the contractor or the Highway Department.

2. Ask to have the 6 inch concrete at 10 cents a square foot instead of the $6 per square foot for the 4 inch concrete. That way, your portion will only be about $1 per block instead of $46 per block. If they tell you they won't put in 6 inch concrete on residential sidewalks, then say "OK, put in 4 inch but only charge me the 6 inch price, that way its a win-win-win for everyone, the town and homeowner pay less, and the contractor gets paid for 6 inch concrete but only has to install 4 inch concrete.

[WNYresident]

Myself and 25+ neighbors received our certified letters today from the town ORDERING us to repair the sidewalks in front of our homes and SUCH work MUST be completed on or Before June 16th, 2014...if we don't the town will.

Then the town will place a lien on our property. The Town's share of the replacement is $46.40-$51.20 for each 5ft linear block. Our portion will be $69.60-76.80 per 5ft linear block plus 6% interest if not paid in full by 9/2/2014.

I am getting a estimate in the morning just to see if I am getting a fair deal from the town!

Compare quality versus price though. IF you look at the sidewalks that were install along union road by us you can see very bad scaling. I was told it was the way the concrete was mixed.

[WNYresident]

6" concrete if installed properly will add value to your home. Right?

[CheektowagaFan]

Res, The Town did the sidewalks on Union?

Compare quality versus price though. IF you look at the sidewalks that were install along union road by us you can see very bad scaling. I was told it was the way the concrete was mixed.

[WNYresident]

Not a clue who did them and really don't care. If the state did them did our town board get some type of warranty? If not why not? The work becomes an eye sore and makes out town look run down.

Thank fully Indian Road seems to be worked on. It will be nice when they put a leveling coat on the first layer of asphalt that has been laid down.

Our town has been ran pretty lax for the last 20 years when it comes to the best interest of us property owners.

SO anyone know yet which candidate our town board is going to support for Governor? Cuomo or Astorino?

Who will be running this November? I would like to get who they are going to support soon. It will be a very interesting election.

[CheektowagaFan]

res I think its a state road which means the town has no say so, so your beef would not be with the town but rather with the state

Not a clue who did them and really don't care. If the state did them did our town board get some type of warranty? If not why not? The work becomes an eye sore and makes out town look run down.

Thank fully Indian Road seems to be worked on. It will be nice when they put a leveling coat on the first layer of asphalt that has been laid down.

Our town has been ran pretty lax for the last 20 years when it comes to the best interest of us property owners.

SO anyone know yet which candidate our town board is going to support for Governor? Cuomo or Astorino?

Who will be running this November? I would like to get who they are going to support soon. It will be a very interesting election.