Chrissy_snow Member Username: Chrissy_snow
Post Number: 283 Registered: 07-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 10:51 am: | |
Another one of Kwame's friends who benefitted from him being Mayor. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.d ll/article?AID=/20080925/METRO /809250414/1409/METRO |
Daddeeo Member Username: Daddeeo
Post Number: 156 Registered: 09-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:00 pm: | |
The dominoes are starting to fall. |
Bsu Member Username: Bsu
Post Number: 121 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:25 pm: | |
This was huge news in my office this morning. Our company bid that contract for about $2.2 million and the city of Detroit rejected it. My co-worker who put our proposal together couldn't believe we lost it at that time, they were going after this account pretty hard. This guy walked away with $10 million of the peoples money, that's almost an $8 million difference (in his and the King's pocket). What a shame. |
Alan55 Member Username: Alan55
Post Number: 2205 Registered: 09-2005
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:33 pm: | |
It seems that Cockrel doesn't have to be an administrative genius to have a positive effect on the City of Detroit. All he has to be is honest, and he will be a vast improvement over Kilpatrick. |
Jita1 Member Username: Jita1
Post Number: 92 Registered: 08-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:40 pm: | |
Wow |
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine
Post Number: 2325 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:51 pm: | |
can you say "shell company"? |
Mrsjdaniels Member Username: Mrsjdaniels
Post Number: 1426 Registered: 08-2005
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:55 pm: | |
damn shame |
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady
Post Number: 281 Registered: 08-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:56 pm: | |
BSU, your company's bid was 22% of what the contract went for?! This contract alone should be enough for folks to go to prison. Wow, can you imagine -- maybe as Cockrel continues to unearth these issues and root out the corruption, maybe Detroit will actually have healthy finances! |
Chrissy_snow Member Username: Chrissy_snow
Post Number: 284 Registered: 07-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:58 pm: | |
I bet they're gonna find tons of these similar sweetheart deals for Kwame's friends, now that he's gone and can't hide the paperwork any longer. Firing all of his team will help bring these to light because all of the departments were working FOR him. They might be surprised at how much money they can recover for the city. I hope too that they can somehow press charges for all of the slowly exposing fraud. |
Gistok Member Username: Gistok
Post Number: 7312 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 1:00 pm: | |
Well assuming that City Council has to OK all large contracts, do they even see the competing contracts, or do they only get to review the final choice by the city administration? |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3323 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 1:06 pm: | |
Now let's find out how much the city paid for those streetlight shrouds! |
Youngprofessionaldetroiter Member Username: Youngprofessionaldetroiter
Post Number: 391 Registered: 07-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 1:14 pm: | |
Man, forget about growing the balance sheet by attracting new residents. We could probably double our budget just by getting rid of corruption. |
Digitalvision Member Username: Digitalvision
Post Number: 1320 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 1:21 pm: | |
I think that's the first priority, YPD. Find money where the city already has it - there are a lot of contracts like this, as I've seen low or middle bidders constantly lose due to cronyism. I was surprised to hear Kenyatta's statement - it was very Archer-like and Archer at the time took a lot of flack for it.
quote:"I am known for supporting black-owned and operated businesses," Kenyatta said. "However, it must be qualified, certified, bona fide, dignified black-owned and operated businesses, not just help a brother out." I like that he rhymed it, whereas Archer did not. |
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady
Post Number: 282 Registered: 08-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 1:32 pm: | |
And after the streetlight shrouds, Detroitnerd, let's find out why a TOTALLY UNNECESSARY median was built in the middle of Livernois. |
Bearinabox Member Username: Bearinabox
Post Number: 878 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 1:34 pm: | |
quote:And after the streetlight shrouds, Detroitnerd, let's find out why a TOTALLY UNNECESSARY median was built in the middle of Livernois. Try "is still being built." They built it down to Six Mile or so, and everyone hated it so much they decided to extend it down past the Lodge. |
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3325 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 1:34 pm: | |
Downtown_lady: And why the freakin' project kept on going down Livernois even after the City Council asked them to stop pending further review? (It was something like that. Can't recall exactly right now.) |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 14197 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 2:07 pm: | |
Digital, He obviously has more experience in preaching styles than Archer had... As for the difference between pricing on the contract...how much of that 8 mil do you think came BACK to Kwhyme and Bernard and the whole McNamara group? We have a HUGE struggle now to uncover all of this as soon as possible before they can start using this warchest against us...they know what fuels campaigns and lawsuits to tie up free speech that happens to be aimed against them. |
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger
Post Number: 605 Registered: 05-2008
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 2:17 pm: | |
I'd like to know how much evidence of these types of deals was shredded the last two weeks the criminal was in office? There is so much cleaning up to do! |
Karl_jr Member Username: Karl_jr
Post Number: 319 Registered: 06-2007
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 2:38 pm: | |
I would like to see Ken Cockrel investigate every contractor the city has put on its payroll. There are all sorts of sweet deals that have taken place to put non city employees on the payroll. |
Crumbled_pavement Member Username: Crumbled_pavement
Post Number: 556 Registered: 08-2007
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 2:44 pm: | |
No wonder Kwame was fighting so hard to stay on as mayor. He was raping and pillaging every part of the city of Detroit. Like I said before, the KKS (Kilpatrick Krime Syndicate) had too many mouthes to feed and that is why Kwame resisted stepping down. A lot of crooked back-stabbing, lying, cheating scum are going to starve now. |
Urbanoutdoors Member Username: Urbanoutdoors
Post Number: 1074 Registered: 11-2005
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 3:05 pm: | |
Wait and how much would it have cost to keep the BI Aquarium open? Have BSU's company take over the remainder and reopen the aquarium! |
Bsu Member Username: Bsu
Post Number: 122 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 3:07 pm: | |
People were all up in arms about the $8.4 million from the whistle blower case, well here's another $8 million. What's next, they just started digging. And the kicker is we let him leave the state on vacation, to Texas I believe, right next to the border. |
Crumbled_pavement Member Username: Crumbled_pavement
Post Number: 557 Registered: 08-2007
| Posted on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 3:16 pm: | |
Good point Bsu. Wouldn't it be funny if after all of the KKS members are removed from the payroll Cockrel discovered we had a surplus of funds? |
Miss_flow Member Username: Miss_flow
Post Number: 51 Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 6:42 am: | |
The individual that received this 10 million dollar copier contract is Ken Daniels, an appointee of Kwame's that sits on the Board of Water Commissioners. It's my understanding that he also has a 2 million dollar contract with the water department. They all need to go to jail and Cockrel needs to get rid of ALL Kwame castoffs in director positions. They can't be trusted. |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 14210 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 7:44 am: | |
I'm telling you, we need to get the security video from Cobo Hall from when they had that secret meeting of the top 175 supporters of the Big Diamond. Then make a deck of cards with their names and pictures...yeah I know it's a Pinochle triple-deck... |
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady
Post Number: 289 Registered: 08-2008
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 12:21 pm: | |
Council voted Thursday to begin the process of rescinding the contract. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.d ll/article?AID=/20080926/METRO /809260365/1409/METRO |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 14229 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 1:28 pm: | |
Not enough. This one alone is worthy of prosecution...there HAS to be some provision in the city charter for officials who abuse their power in bid contracts like this. How did one that cost 4 times another bid pass...IF they were similar services from reputable companies, apples-to-apples...without some form of corruption? There MUST be some sort of mechanism... |
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger
Post Number: 620 Registered: 05-2008
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 1:43 pm: | |
My hope is those in law enforcement who have access to the text messages use them to build cases and clean up this city. All of this corruption makes me ill. The money that could have been used to make life better in the city. All sucked out of the city by a bunch of leeches. |
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger
Post Number: 621 Registered: 05-2008
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 1:44 pm: | |
Gannon, how about the "using public office for private gain"? They can get a lot of mileage out of that! |
Downtown_lady Member Username: Downtown_lady
Post Number: 292 Registered: 08-2008
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 1:59 pm: | |
I agree, Gannon. Maybe the FBI can add this to their list. As a matter of fact, I think I'll print out this thread and mail it to them, after I highlight the part where BSU wrote: "Our company bid that contract for about $2.2 million and the city of Detroit rejected it." |
Tkshreve Member Username: Tkshreve
Post Number: 599 Registered: 07-2006
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 2:01 pm: | |
"Well assuming that City Council has to OK all large contracts, do they even see the competing contracts, or do they only get to review the final choice by the city administration?" "How did one that cost 4 times another bid pass...IF they were similar services from reputable companies, apples-to-apples...without some form of corruption? There MUST be some sort of mechanism..." You two were the only ones to pick up on this, and good for you. If you remember when Blobby Fergusson was first cast into the spotlight of corruption, it was said that all his contracts were approved at near competitive bids. The kicker is the CHANGE ORDERS added onto the workload, midway through the projects. Whoever was approving these change orders is equally dirty and involved as Kwame himself. Now I'm not sure that what we're dealing with here on this particular contract is change orders again, but I have to agree with you guys when you say: How did a bid win that was 400% greater than the next competitors bid? It's mind boggling. Mind you, this was quite a while ago that Bobby was thrown into the corruption ring by the media. What is taking the FEDS so long? Can't they scoop these crooks up now and hold them on what they already have? Is their a lawyer/cop/judge in the house? My worry is that the heat is onto a lot of these people in a serious way. These crooks have to be thinking about running. Posters in this forum have done a pretty good job speculating as to who is involved and further, who will be indicted. Most of Kwame's connections (Bernhard, McPhail, Ella, Bobby, etc.) have either retired or scaled back their committment to the city. It is just about common knowledge that the FEDS are coming. What is stopping them from running with the amount of money they already have? One last thing, if in fact these players have a big purse of money stashed somewhere, I presume that they will be prevented from using it on legal representation because they would have to prove it was legally earned. This simply fuels the fire to bail out and take their chances on a sandy beach in the Caribbean. Thoughts? |
Bobby08 Member Username: Bobby08
Post Number: 10 Registered: 09-2008
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 2:25 pm: | |
Wait a minute, Let me get this straight, Your company put in a bid for $2.2 million and were outbidded by $8 million? I'm not a genious but why would they award the contract by shelling out an additional $8 million as opposed to $2.2 million (scratching my head) |
Islandman Member Username: Islandman
Post Number: 1834 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 2:32 pm: | |
Follow the money, Bobby. |
Gannon Member Username: Gannon
Post Number: 14230 Registered: 12-2003
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 2:49 pm: | |
Remember, one of the FIRST hurdles any firm approaching the city for business was asked that magical question: 'Who do you have on staff that looks like US?' There were filters in place to chase away true competition...they may not easily be found liable for those firms that never actually MADE a fully competing bid. All they'd have to do is make a last-minute spec change, and only tell those they liked...then announce who won the altered bid without saying why. I would absolutely love to be on this investigative team...every single dime spent and penny contracted needs be analyzed from these crooks. The first application of all this stolen money just popped up today, there is some lawsuit against the city trying to get Ken Cockrel, Jr. disallowed to return to his City Council post should he lose the interim election. I'd keep my eye on the Kwhyme supporters on Council...where are THOSE recall petitions?! |
Townonenorth Member Username: Townonenorth
Post Number: 201 Registered: 10-2007
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 3:06 pm: | |
I think blind bidding on all contracts should be mandatory. Just bid the price, not the people. Lowest bid should be accepted, if there's a spec change, bid is automatically rebid. no excuses. Full transparency in the bidding process is vital. There's too much BS in city government anyway, not just Detroit's. I'd think one would like to avoid these tacky after-the-fact witch hunts. |
Gistok Member Username: Gistok
Post Number: 7314 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 3:32 pm: | |
Gannon, I saw that fellow on the news last week who filed the lawsuit to prevent Ken Cockrel Jr. from returing to City Council, should he lose the special election... That same fellow is planning on running for City Council next time around... my, what a coincidence! |
Tkshreve Member Username: Tkshreve
Post Number: 601 Registered: 07-2006
| Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 3:42 pm: | |
"Wait a minute, Let me get this straight, Your company put in a bid for $2.2 million and were outbidded by $8 million? I'm not a genious but why would they award the contract by shelling out an additional $8 million as opposed to $2.2 million (scratching my head" https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/5/141953.html?1213138706 http://www.zoominfo.com/people /Ferguson_Bobby_55929786.aspx http://community.myfoxdetroit. com/blogs/colt19112/2008/06/09 /this_is_why_we_in_the_burbs_h ave_a_right_to_boo |