I am the first to admit that my construction knowledge and experience is modest- I can 3-4-5 a corner- but, fortunately for me, I have some friends who have over 20 years in the construction business. I rely on them to give me accurate facts and figures on construction projects. While its true that numbers coming from the City are frequently suspect, if anything, I believe that the numbers I received in the FOIs are underestimates of how much was spent on these construction projects. I doubt seriously that the work was completed for less, and that for some reason, they are reporting it cost more. To the contrary, it is probably the opposite. While I am not a construction expert, I AM pretty good at spotting psychological symptoms, which IS my area of expertise. For instance, I can spot denial pretty easily- like a denial that the deepening recession will have any substantial effect on us here in MS. Its either complete and total denial, or stupidity beyond belief, or corruption. You choose. Maybe some of each. Have a nice day. Dr. Mel Johnson

first round

It is not clear that ANYBODY spoke out against the pool. The pool was acknowledged as a valuable community resource and swimming as an excellent exercise and sport. The question was, and IS, 1) whether the people should be subsidizing a private business that only has 6 Springs residents with a LOT of taxpayers dollars (20 people showed up out of 13,000), 2) whether all the revenues at the pool are accurately accounted for (still in serious doubt), and 3) how many more sweetheart deals can the City Manager make at the expense of the taxpayers? A couple things became obvious- One, the taxpayers are going to have to do a better job of informing and educating the people about the real issues of horrible management, large losses, and highly questionable business practices, if not corruption, that is going on in our City before the election. This means expanding their efforts beyond this blog to the Gazette, the Herald, and other educational and investigative avenues. Second, a grass-roots effort needs to be made to get the word out, and means talking to our friends, neighbors, family members, and fellow church members about the issues, with a conscious effort to not focus on the personalities, no matter how dishonest, disingenuous, misleading, and deceptive they may be. There is an election coming up soon, and the only real impact that needs to be made, and that they will understand, is to bring in new faces, ideas, energies, and sound business practices by honest people who have the residents best interests at heart. THAT will be the real test. This is just the opening squabble. ZERO proof was offered that indicated that there are now, or have been lately, more than 6 Springs kids on MDAC. If city officials were so sure about the figures they quoted they would make those numbers known. The fact that they havent indicates they were less than honest about the numbers and MIGHT cause a prudent person to wonder if they are less-than-honest about a LOT of other things! If they HAD the numbers they quoted in a verifiable roster they would have produced them. They didnt, and they CANT. Its WAY too early to gloat, Gym.

bad business and management

What are the chances that those who are NOT concerned that 13,000 residents pay taxes so that a half dozen or so kids can swim, are the parents of those kids? or affiliated with the private MDAC swim team we somehow support? IF there are NUMEROUS organizations and individuals who utilize the pool those revenues should be reflected somewhere. Where is that revenue reflected? Where is the revenues from last weekends meet reflected? Is a Freedom of Information request necessary? What are the chances this closing the pool issue could be put on the ballot with the annexation issue? Let the people vote. Losing hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to indulge a few is just bad business, and bad management, especially in an ever-deepening recession. Its a luxury we can no longer afford. To lose those hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars so that a private organization can profit, is HIGHLY questionable at the very least! WE are losing money while they profit? Incredibly poor management of our tax dollars, at the very least. At worst.... well, you decide if it sounds like corruption and/or kickbacks for yourself.

commentary

The only ones who will get a tax increase under Obamas plan are those who make 250k a year and more, who can easily afford it. McCains plan is only 2500 each in health benefits. That is two days in ICU. What you would be betting on with Obama is the POTENTIAL for change for the better. With McCain there is NO potential for change, only more of the same. Eight years of Bush is more than enough. Look at the situation we are in under his questionable leadership. Our Council is ALL Republican and look at the mess THEY have gotten us in! Donald Trump bathrooms, CC cost overruns and change orders, losing 300k a year at the pool, no pool contracts and pool revenues unreported, free use of our pool and other recreational facilities for nonresidents, a sweetheart contract given to Santana and we are paying his electric bills, going 2.5 million more in debt on a new gym we dont need and cant afford during a recession- how many more ways can they foul this City up? All of this is happening on the watch of this City Manager. Inept and incompetent are the two nicest terms to describe these disasters; otherwise you would HAVE TO consider corruption to explain multiple, repeated, incredibly expensive City projects. We shouldnt accept incompetency or ineptitude any more than we should accept public corruption.

greed and corruption

Greedy and/or corrupt power brokers with little oversight or regulation have robbed, raped, and plundered the financial system on a national scale, leaving the taxpayers, Joe Sixpack, to bail their sorry butts out. The same thing is happening locally, just on a much less costly scale. Instead of disappearing hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on a national stage, our inept/uninformed/corrupt power brokers are merely disappearing hundreds of thousands of our hard-earned tax dollars. They too, are raising our taxes and fees to the local Joe Sixpacks to pay for their greed and corruption. We probably cant fix Washington, but we CAN fix our local problems. April is coming soon. Dont forget.

incompetence or corruption? or both?

SHOULD cost overuns occur with the new gym project??????? OF COURSE they will. Cost overruns and change orders are built into the process, just like they were with the Country Club project AND the bathrooms. MANY costly change orders will be necessary because city officials have only given the contractors a sketch of what they would eventually like. They will design it as they go, and multiple change orders will occur due to that poor planning on the part of city officials. Dozens of errors will be made due to lack of planning and require change orders to fix them, leading to HUGE cost overruns, just like before. The most recent glaring errors from a lack of planning are the TWO-YEAR bathroom project- no water, electrical, or sewer hookups for BATHROOMS? $400 a square foot, so far? Paid 33k for a one-day, 5k in costs, project-sewer hookups are 8 bucks a linear foot, plus materials. Paid $38,500 for an elevation of both bathrooms that can comfortably be done for 6k, again in one day. Change orders, lack of planning leading to errors, and cost overruns are GUARANTEED in any project the City Manager is involved with. The facts speak for themselves. Repeated and continuous incompetence and ineptitude, at the very least. At worst....

loans

Bond money was NOT an option because banks have NO liquidity? How can THAT be? They wont loan to municipalities because they believe that some of them are financially irresponsible and will go bankrupt? Yep,that sounds like US. Fortunately, or unfortunately, other banks will loan to us, at higher and more costly rates, to make up for the bankruptcy risk. Banks got into this mess by loaning money to people with NO financial sense, and THAT history has repeated itself. A clueless Council will raise our taxes, fees, and whatever else they can to pay for this fiasco in the next year. Remember this at the polls next year. No vision or sense of financial responsibility, stopped listening long ago to the residents (listens VERY WELL to the contractors, tho), and any possible sensitivity or concern regarding the plight of citizens and residents has disappeared (if there EVER was any); yep,I would say they have the trifecta covered- deaf, dumb, and blind. Or maybe they are just incredibly oorrupt-you decide. NOBODY can be THAT short-sighted, ignorant, oblivious, and inept ALL THE TIME! Corruption is the only way to explain the Council's stunning stupidity on EVERY project! Nobody can be THAT fiscally insane ALL THE TIME!