Audit of Mayor Bowser's snow removal finds many problems

[jsteele]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dcs-credit-card-was-shut-off-and-that-wasnt-the-worst-of-snowzilla-audit-finds/2017/01/11/5b84921a-d7f9-11e6-b8b2-cb5164beba6b_story.html

The DC Auditor has just released a report on snow removal spending by Mayor Bowser last year. The findings are not encouraging (all quotes from the above Post article):

"D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s administration spent more than $40 million on snow removal for a single major storm last year, hiring contractors at whatever price they named and paying for more than $700,000 in hotel rooms and food for workers in violation of federal procurement law, according to a new audit.

"In addition, more than $93,000 of that came from fees because officials charged tens of millions of dollars for snow removal on city credit cards, sending the balance on the government’s account to roughly 20 times its usual level."

...

"Patterson wrote that D.C. officials made no effort to negotiate better rates with some construction firms — even when their prices were far in excess of past practice or even 60 percent higher than what the city was paying other companies for identical equipment or services."

...

"The audit suggested that hundreds of thousands — and possibly millions — in expenses may not be reimbursable by the federal government, contrary to what administration officials told the D.C. Council."

...

"Some of the companies that received the most generous compensation are developers or city contractors have made large political donations to the mayor as well as a now-defunt political action committee created on her behalf."

[Anonymous]

Some of the companies that received the most generous compensation are developers or city contractors have made large political donations to the mayor as well as a now-defunt political action committee created on her behalf."

This was the worst of it.... the storm was unusual, but cities have to plan for emergencies, and contracts have to be in place so that in the case of an emergency, the costs are known before they are needed.

[Anonymous]

What a bilking!

Sadly, this sort of corruption and incompetence by DC officials just does not surprise me.

We need to demand better from those in charge.

[Anonymous]

Bowsers best attribute is her ability to say something hot screwed up and it will be better in the future . . . and then keep doing things the same old DC way.

[Anonymous]

Ugh this makes me want to run for office. It's not that damn difficult to find decent contractors at a reasonable price.

[Anonymous]

She is just as corrupt as can be.

[Anonymous]

Most of the money went to Fort Meyer Construction and Capitol Paving which are owned by the same extended family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She is just as corrupt as can be.

+1

[Anonymous]

I think she made a political calculation that the blowback from a failed snowstorm response would be greater than from wasteful spending. She was caught unprepared and that was her choice. It was pretty clear after 2-3 days of the cleanup that the contractors were piling on, they were taking every last bit of snow off of the streets long after things were passable. To her credit I'll say it seems like the work that was paid for actually got done, the trucks were out there and the snow was being moved.

[Anonymous]

This is why we will never be a state.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dcs-credit-card-was-shut-off-and-that-wasnt-the-worst-of-snowzilla-audit-finds/2017/01/11/5b84921a-d7f9-11e6-b8b2-cb5164beba6b_story.html

The DC Auditor has just released a report on snow removal spending by Mayor Bowser last year. The findings are not encouraging (all quotes from the above Post article):

"D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s administration spent more than $40 million on snow removal for a single major storm last year, hiring contractors at whatever price they named and paying for more than $700,000 in hotel rooms and food for workers in violation of federal procurement law, according to a new audit.

"In addition, more than $93,000 of that came from fees because officials charged tens of millions of dollars for snow removal on city credit cards, sending the balance on the government’s account to roughly 20 times its usual level."

...

"Patterson wrote that D.C. officials made no effort to negotiate better rates with some construction firms — even when their prices were far in excess of past practice or even 60 percent higher than what the city was paying other companies for identical equipment or services."

...

"The audit suggested that hundreds of thousands — and possibly millions — in expenses may not be reimbursable by the federal government, contrary to what administration officials told the D.C. Council."

...

"Some of the companies that received the most generous compensation are developers or city contractors have made large political donations to the mayor as well as a now-defunt political action committee created on her behalf."

Couple of thoughts here, as a long-time DC resident. First off, these costs really can't be defended.

But, we are also a community of whiners, who will protest, moan and complain at even the slightest "failure" of government.

I can understand why the mayor chose to clear streets, by whatever means necessary, rather than put up with the bitching that would have ensued in the alternative.

It's on you, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dcs-credit-card-was-shut-off-and-that-wasnt-the-worst-of-snowzilla-audit-finds/2017/01/11/5b84921a-d7f9-11e6-b8b2-cb5164beba6b_story.html

The DC Auditor has just released a report on snow removal spending by Mayor Bowser last year. The findings are not encouraging (all quotes from the above Post article):

"D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s administration spent more than $40 million on snow removal for a single major storm last year, hiring contractors at whatever price they named and paying for more than $700,000 in hotel rooms and food for workers in violation of federal procurement law, according to a new audit.

"In addition, more than $93,000 of that came from fees because officials charged tens of millions of dollars for snow removal on city credit cards, sending the balance on the government’s account to roughly 20 times its usual level."

...

"Patterson wrote that D.C. officials made no effort to negotiate better rates with some construction firms — even when their prices were far in excess of past practice or even 60 percent higher than what the city was paying other companies for identical equipment or services."

...

"The audit suggested that hundreds of thousands — and possibly millions — in expenses may not be reimbursable by the federal government, contrary to what administration officials told the D.C. Council."

...

"Some of the companies that received the most generous compensation are developers or city contractors have made large political donations to the mayor as well as a now-defunt political action committee created on her behalf."

Couple of thoughts here, as a long-time DC resident. First off, these costs really can't be defended.

But, we are also a community of whiners, who will protest, moan and complain at even the slightest "failure" of government.

I can understand why the mayor chose to clear streets, by whatever means necessary, rather than put up with the bitching that would have ensued in the alternative.

It's on you, people.

You don't get it.

Why did she pay much more, for exactly the same service, when the contractor happened to be a political donor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think she made a political calculation that the blowback from a failed snowstorm response would be greater than from wasteful spending. She was caught unprepared and that was her choice. It was pretty clear after 2-3 days of the cleanup that the contractors were piling on, they were taking every last bit of snow off of the streets long after things were passable. To her credit I'll say it seems like the work that was paid for actually got done, the trucks were out there and the snow was being moved.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is why we will never be a state.

Yes, because states and the federal government have pristine records when it comes to financial management.

[Anonymous]

I think she made a political calculation that the blowback from a failed snowstorm response would be greater than from wasteful spending. She was caught unprepared and that was her choice. It was pretty clear after 2-3 days of the cleanup that the contractors were piling on, they were taking every last bit of snow off of the streets long after things were passable. To her credit I'll say it seems like the work that was paid for actually got done, the trucks were out there and the snow was being moved.

I think you're right, and I also think she used the opportunity to reward her favorite contractors.