Last night, six board members attended the board meeting - Ebert, Walton (John), Garrison, President Walton, Cline, and McMillin. As Grounds Chair, McMillin gave the Grounds report, and made a motion to renew the second year of the grounds contract, with a 4.6% increase, some small changes, for a total of $37,132.92. Ebert seconded the motion, and the board moved to discussion.
The discussion would leave one to believe that this was a poor performing vendor. McMillin stated that this year, the vendor now knew who they (vendor) were working for, that they work for us, for me (McMillin). He reported that lot maintenance had been a problem last year, and in some cases that they had done NOTHING. They had charged, and we had paid for things that they hadn't done. They had gotten paid in advance.
Garrison questioned the vacant lot mowing. He suggested that there might have to be an additional category of lot added, and associated charges. Garrison, reminded McMillin that this process needed to be started earlier.
Your board unanimously voted to approve the contract renewal with the increase!
COMMENTS:
At the end of each WPA board meeting there is a call from the President for resident comments. I took the opportunity to tell the board how surprised I was in this economic time, that they had approved this contract renewal, let alone with a increase. Why?
*There is a 30 day "out" clause in the contract. With the complaints McMillin made about the vendor regarding their performance last year, my question becomes "why didn't you get rid of them last year?" The lot next to me was mowed once. Several residents wrote about the vacant lot conditions. One resident wrote that the lot near them had reached 5 feet. The vendor must not have been following the contract, because it took them until now to understand who is in charge.
*Where was the sign off for payment for services, last year? The Grounds Chair must have been signing approval, for work that wasn't verified, before a check was cut. When last year, with complaints about the lots coming in regularly, did the Grounds Chair discover the problem? In addition to letters from myself, and others, I had stood up, and discussed the problem during resident comments, in mid year. Where was the rest of the board?
*This vendor, was so in charge, that when one of their trucks died, they left it parked at the end of Governor Johnston for weeks, and the problem was only acknowledged, and action taken, after a resident asked about it during resident comments. At that time, The Grounds Chair was obviously aware, and said he had been telling the vendor to get it out of there for WEEKS! In the moment during the meeting, your board acted unaware - surprised - VERY DOUBTFUL.
*Where is individual thinking by these board members? This decision makes no sense. This looks like nothing less than poor oversight - governance, lack of common sense, and a non performer being treated, like a favored vendor. Where else but here in Wedgefield, can you fail to perform, get your contract renewed, WITH AN INCREASE?
THINK THIS IS BIZARRE, WAIT FOR PART II OF THE GROUNDS REPORT. THE GROUNDS CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO BUILD TO STORE HIS STUFF, AND SAVE US EVEN MORE MONEY (?????)
