A wolf by its ears……..
I’ve never actually had a wolf by its ears, but I think I’m
getting the idea with our Riverfront Park …..ah….situation. First, some background, assuming you have
lived under a tub or been on vacation to Mars these last few months.
From the first “proposed construction cost” document the
“bump out” was estimated to cost about $50,000 more than the HUD Grant. By the time the bids were received and rebid
to lower the cost, the “bump out” had ballooned to $1,500,000 over budget. I voted against this project. A few weeks ago, the cost was raised by
another $250,000 for the gangway pilings.
I voted against this also. Last
week, due to subsidence, we were told that we were now another $800,000 short
to raise the “bump out” to the desired level.
The other commissioners are now waiting for more information before
voting. I will vote against these
additional monies. My last “wolf by its
ears” fact is that the city spent $1,264,915 from the period 2008 thru 2013,
which is in addition to the spending discussed above. I wasn’t a commissioner to vote against this.
If the project stops right now, I suspect the city will be
forced to spend some money to bring even the incomplete “bump out” into Corps
of Engineers compliance. We would have
no choice but to comply.
So, where are we without spending the additional
$800,000? We have a rock pile some 20
feet below where it needs to be and therefore not usable for any purpose. Whether the city spends the $800,00 or not,
the gangway pilings that the entire marina service building, transient boat
dock, and boat slips are attached to, will be finished. That was in the earlier
$250,000 the commission approved by a 4 to 1 vote. Remember, I voted “no.”
Your commissioner has an idea, maybe. If all of us take a blood oath—the mayor
and commissioners—that we would not build the aforementioned
marina service building, transient boat dock and boat slips, I would vote to
finish the “bump out,” to make it into a riverfront park. Understand, we would have to spend $800,000
of city money to do this. If no
agreement to use the funds to create only a park, then I vote “no” on any
further spending.
This park--let’s call it “Festival Park” to give it a more
positive image-- would be constructed for all to enjoy. “Festival Park” would be approximately a
three acre green space overlooking the Ohio River that all Paducahans, whether
picnickers, frisbee players or river watchers, could enjoy.
The city has already been awarded a $3,811,000 Federal
Highway Administration Grant, which we should be able to use for the park. The
rest of the (unused) grants go back to their sponsoring agencies.
So there you have it.
The trick, of course, is not to let the wolf bite us as we let go of his
ears. Or should I say, not get bitten
more severely than we already have been.
Allan, I think you are on the right track. No more spending on the marina .
ReplyDeleteHold to your guns and maybe the other commissioners and Mayor Gilligan (Kaler) will see the light.
Commissioner Allan Rhodes Jr. GREAT job, keep it going!!!
Speaking of government, about which this comment does not, but it's silly nonetheless, I noticed that a can or bottle of some food-thing in my cabinet said, "Pure Honey." Does this imply, or should I infer that there are products that contain "Impure" or "Unpure" honey?
ReplyDeleteI believe if the city engeneer had done his job right in the first place, by doing a core drill at the new location, it would have shown the change in depth and could have been accounted for in the bidding. Even I know the river bed at any given location is different! He certainly wouldn't let any of the city workers he is in charge of get away with a mistake even much smaller than that. I agree take the loss and change the use of the park. I believe its time to replace the city engineer who isn't so arrogant that he could never makes mistakes, knows how to do his job and works for the citizens not himself!
ReplyDeleteAllan,
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be the only member of the city commission that understands return on investment principles and I fully support both your position on the marina and the green walkway underpass. Both are needless. Most of the citizens of Paducah is not going to benefit from having a marina. There are sufficient marinas at the local lakes and even the transient boats of which very few pass along the Ohio at Paducah to want to stop. They will usually go where full service marinas can provide fuel, mainenance and better protective coverage than what appears being offered at an Ohio River marina at Paducah. Some seem to think that boaters are going to flock into Paducah to shop or eat downtown. Believe me, as a boater for decades and owning various size boats, I see no advantage to having a marina at Paducah from a boater's prospective. I voted for you to become a commissioner and now I certainly know that my vote was well cast. You have a pragmatic view of the communities needs and you will speak up when the clique wants to waste our hard earned tax dollars on frivolous ideas. Keep up the good work and next election please run for Mayor. We need leaders who think the way you do with all the citizens needs in mind.
Allan, You are right on target with this thing, free money many times is not really free!
ReplyDeleteI never understood why the commission wanted to mess up the view of the river by putting a marina there. Why not spend the money that would benefit any citizen. I think your idea is best. I wish the marina idea could have been abolished much earlier.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you want to strengthen this city's economy? Do you think that we are doing fine? Most of the people in this city are struggling to survive, Allan. There are so few jobs and things are getting worse with the loss of the Gaseous Diffusion Plant jobs. I'm happy that you want to "save the tax-payers money", but are you really doing that? No. We still have to pay taxes. The marina won't HURT this city's economy -- it will HELP us. It is an investment in Paducah's future. So, I have a counter-proposal for you: instead of using the city's reserve funds of $800,000 to finish the stone work, 800 citizens step up and each give $1,000 to finish it. All we need is 800 people to give $1,000 each and we can continue this important project. I will put my money where my mouth is and put up the first $1,000. I can't really afford to do that, but this project is so important to the future health of this city that I would do it. Maybe you could help that way, Allan? Maybe you could put some of your efforts into HELPING move things FORWARD, not maintaining the status quo, which is, sadly, not that great.
ReplyDeleteAllan I have been thinking about this since the Paducah Sun posted this story about last Tuesday nights commission meeting and the briefing by Rick Murphy the City engineer, so this is my thought. If the proper steps had been taken by Murphy before bids were asked for (core drill) to establish the depth that piles and rock we need to be, the bids would have included that. Murphys first screw up, not telling the commission that since piles would be short he should as a good engineer or at the very least an honest man not trying to cover his behind instead, second screw up! The present length of the bump out was not sloped, probably they wanted to get it to full length to ensure it was done properly. I read where Abraham wanted answers from the contractor, why not ask them, its your,our money we should know how it was spent and I am sure that MAC would be glad to answer your questions. I don't believe for a minute the statement Murphy made about once the contract is done you are not able to ask them questions.....really... Its your money, not a screwup on this one, I think Murphy is afraid you find out he didn't do his job and or interfered with theirs! Of course this is just the ramblings of a normal citizen who is tired of his tax dollars being blown on projects Murphy has been in charge of, riverfront, building concrete slab for bubble on land that city did not own (as city engineer isn't he responsible to know that); placing pumps on county land to pump water from county into flood waters that that flooded friends of mine that had lived their for years and never were even in one hundred year flood plain. I can only imagine missuse of his power considering how awful some streets are in Paducah. I am sorry, have rambled enough, but I feel Murpy has outlived his usefulness and it is time for him to go forcibly! Thanks for sticking up for the citizens of Paducah.
ReplyDeleteI guess what I would like to know is after Rick Murphy screwed up the Riverfront Project why are letting home screw up he new boat ramp?! I hear it cost $120,000.00 and he had a boat dock company build it to his specifications and after they told him it wouldn't work he had it done his way! After delivery they washed their hands of it since they knew it wouldn't work and now that it doesn't more money or an alternate way of raising and lowering it will have to be used. I heard by truck! Now this may all be rumor, but I don't understand why the city officials keep putting up with someone who knows very little about his job and is never wrong and can not be told anything or corrected...... More wasted tax dollars!
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