Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Best News You'll Hear All Day

I was just informed that City Council has voted to put all LRA and D-CDBG projects on ice pending new leadership in the mayor's office. I was told there will be no new contracts, bids, awards, and most importantly...no change orders.

Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!!!

SCREECHING HALT:

Hang on, I'm being told that's not the case...more to come.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ummm, that would be awesome if they had any authority to actually enforce that. Unfortunately, I don't beleive their sign-off is needed to spend any of that money.

You know something I don't?

Editor B said...

Does this mean the City will also not terminate existing contracts, i.e. the contract for the Lafitte Corridor greenway design?

As you may be aware FOLC was opposed to rebidding this project.

http://folc-nola.org/2010/01/folc-letter-to-mayor-nagin-2/

So I think this is good news... but I'm cautious.

Anonymous said...

Yesssss!!!!!

Jason Brad Berry said...

ummmm....yes they do have the authority to strip him of the ability to spend the money. They needed 5 votes to override his veto and they have it.

Jason Brad Berry said...

Editor B,

I'm not sure how it will immediately affect the Lafitte project but don't worry so much. The project won't die, it will just be stalled until we can get someone in office who is competent enough to complete spend the LRA funds the way the were meant to be spent.

Anonymous said...

If they need five votes to over ride his veto, and they have those votes, then what the Hell is taking them so long to over ride his spending?

"Screeching halt, more to come", is not as good as "happy, happy, joy, joy."

Howard Zinn is being memorialized all over the place, and listening to some clips of him talking about the American people, and the power of ordinary people to drive good social change, made me think of you, Zombie.

Anonymous said...

The city recovery projects managed by MWH have been put on hold... not sure what else. There was a conference call this morning with MWH and the contracted architecture firms by the city.

Anonymous said...

Yes, they could override a veto.

But is a veto even necessary? I think hizzoner can just ignore them.

As I understand it, the Mayor's office has the authority to write contracts and disburse funds from those buckets pretty much as it sees fit. The Council can say "stop that," and the Mayor can just ignore them because they have no authority to prevent him from signing contracts or disbursing CDBG funds.

To change that level of authority would require a change to the City Charter, which the Council cannot do unilaterally.

Do I understand this wrong?

anonymous-lady said...

The best news I'll hear all day is Mose Jefferson got 10 years and has to pay $1 million in restitution!!!

I want him to serve twice that and pay twice that in restitution.

Anonymous said...

What vote? There was no City Council meeting today.

Leigh C. said...

Well, CRAPOLA. Is the NFL suing the city for the use of the fleur-de-lis, thus tying up recovery money in legal fees?

Xavier said...

Hopefully, the feds put a cease and desist order on MWH for paying bribes. Man, these guys have a hose hooked up to City Hall and the sound you hear is $2 mil a month going out to them. Who else are they paying off? They provided admin support to V White.

Keep us updated!!

my veriword bilitept as in becoming adept at swallowing bile

Anonymous said...

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/01/new_orleans_inspector_general_1.html

Maybe this is why the city put the recovery projects on hold!

Editor B said...

Just heard the city indeed terminated the contract with the design team hired for the greenway project. So that means it will have to be rebid for sure. Frustration!

Anonymous said...

Dropped a package off at MWH yesterday... Small talk with the receptionist: I said, "have a wonderful day, see you soon." Her response, "Maybe!" We both groaned.

There are good people working at MWH and City Hall. It is unfortunate that the administration leadership is morally bankrupt and incompetant.