DC Auditor Report on Duke Ellington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To put this discussion in perspective: the DC Council increased (for example) public parking rates across the City (to $2.30 an hour) in order to generate an extra $2 million in revenue, which will assist the WMATA/METRO repairs. In comparison, this Ellington school is 100 million over-budget, and counting. How much of that $100 million could have helped rescue WMATA, which is literally killing people with accidents? THE DC government is doing whatever it can to scrounge up a couple of extra mill to pay for public works, while Ellington is a money pit. Honestly, the waste, fraud, and abuse with respect to Ellington's "oversight" boggles the mind. What the hell is going on with our government?

Thanks for the perspective. Yes, this is mind-boggling. And a disgrace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

So basically DC taxpayers are paying through the nose to build a Taj Mahal in a non-central location, with sub-par academics for a lot of Maryland students -- and with limited transparency and zero governance accountability?! This is so messed up on so many levels.

beautifully succinct.

I'll add 3 irrebuttable words:

1. Peggy
2. cooper
3. cafritz

Who's that lady?

Google her. She is a black woman with an activist past who married an extremely wealthy guy named cafritz, scion of a local real estate dynasty. Together they did a lot of philanthropy which she continued after his death. DE is her baby, she started it as a non profit in her activist days in a temporary space, similar to Sitar if you're familiar. It grew and at some point she somehow convinced DC to take it on and incorporate it into DCPS.

Spend some time on google, it's quite a story. When people in this thread are talking about political influence (for good or ill), she would be the main focus of attention.

With little transparency, a completely autonomous board and no governance rights for DCPS or elected DC officials. Stunning.

PS - she divorced Conrad Cafritz, she's not his widow.

[Anonymous]

Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

I think you would have to consult a law firm with public sector construction experience. There must be some way to threaten the contractors with halting the work in exchange for a price certain. Or, just let the money keep bleeding until it is done, and push for reforms from the DC Council to prevent this from ever happening again, which would be far-fetched because this the same government that keeps burning tax dollars, year after year, project after project. The city is simply incapable of managing all of its finances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

I think you would have to consult a law firm with public sector construction experience. There must be some way to threaten the contractors with halting the work in exchange for a price certain. Or, just let the money keep bleeding until it is done, and push for reforms from the DC Council to prevent this from ever happening again, which would be far-fetched because this the same government that keeps burning tax dollars, year after year, project after project. The city is simply incapable of managing all of its finances.

But how would a citizen to have standing to do that? If there were a DGS or DCPS whistle blower, then something might happen (a la Chartwells).

[Which reminds me, did they ever hire a food vendor for next year?]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Thank you, had no idea. She should have opened a charter school, not suck DCPS resources. But, yes, I get the point about political influence. This is the kind of deal that Trump would be proud of...

Charters have got to be jealous as hell. DCPS per-pupil. Fully-funded facilities (and then some). No pesky charter school board -- in fact, no oversight at all. Selective admissions. The ability to admit students from MD and VA when it's convenient. What more could you ask for?

[Anonymous]

OTOH a roof collapsed this week in one of the DE swing space buildings. No one allowed to use it for safety reasons while DGS tries to figure out what is wrong and repair it.

[Anonymous]

So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

We can't do anything as citizens other than vote out the councilmembers that passed this. And the mayor too.
Grosso should have put a hold on the entire boondoggle. Just cut it out. But instead, he's in favor of a shrine to the arts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

They did tell us what they're doing about it. Nothing. Plain and simple. Your move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, the outrage is plain and real.

But let's focus on "now what?" How do we as residents:

1) Get the school built with a reduced budget?
2) Hold those accountable accountable?

What actual, tangible steps can we take?

We can't do anything as citizens other than vote out the councilmembers that passed this. And the mayor too.
Grosso should have put a hold on the entire boondoggle. Just cut it out. But instead, he's in favor of a shrine to the arts.

And don't look to Chairman Phil Mendelson to raise a concern with Duke Ellington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

The DC Council isn't really at fault, because they were not consulted at all, as this article concerning the audit makes clear:

http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/audit-details-cost-overruns-ellington

If the DC agencies responsible for this boondoggle were not REQUIRED to consult the DC Council for approval, well one thing the Council could do is pass legislation requiring oversight in the future. Oversight should not be "optional." If the agencies WERE required to consult, but chose not to, then that would have to be justification for hearings at the Council, and possibly firings and criminal actions taken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

The DC Council isn't really at fault, because they were not consulted at all, as this article concerning the audit makes clear:

http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/audit-details-cost-overruns-ellington

If the DC agencies responsible for this boondoggle were not REQUIRED to consult the DC Council for approval, well one thing the Council could do is pass legislation requiring oversight in the future. Oversight should not be "optional." If the agencies WERE required to consult, but chose not to, then that would have to be justification for hearings at the Council, and possibly firings and criminal actions taken.

At a minimum, Duke Ellington's governance structure has to be reformed so that representatives of the public -- the mayor, school chancellor or the council itself -- get the right to appoint directors to Ellington's board, ideally to appoint a majority of the board. Despite the fact that the taxpayers are on the hook for more than 80% of Ellington's operating budget and 100% of its renovation, DC has no director appointment rights today.

[Anonymous]

How can this system continue? IF DE is a public school, it should be treated like one. Is the council at least working on changing the governance structure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the DC council going to do about this disgrace? Doesn't somebody have to provide answers or at least a plan?

The DC Council isn't really at fault, because they were not consulted at all, as this article concerning the audit makes clear:

http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/audit-details-cost-overruns-ellington

If the DC agencies responsible for this boondoggle were not REQUIRED to consult the DC Council for approval, well one thing the Council could do is pass legislation requiring oversight in the future. Oversight should not be "optional." If the agencies WERE required to consult, but chose not to, then that would have to be justification for hearings at the Council, and possibly firings and criminal actions taken.

The Council has power over contracts even though they're out of their depth on project management and procurement. It's largely a boondoggle for officials and an opportunity for favor peddling. It mostly comes into play in the bidding process rather than during project management.

The real problem is poor project management by DGS, which does not effectively monitor the work being completed, accurately account for expenses and cost overruns, manage approval process for expenditures, or safeguard the funds allocated for the intended services.