Red Flags – Making Sense of it All

Posted on April 19, 2016 by M_Blank

red-flag-908686__340I first drafted this post months ago when KeysNet.com sniffed out the $20,000 missing from the school district.  I’ve been adding to it bit by bit ever since.  I didn’t want to publish it until the veto period was safely over.  And now it is!

The Monroe County school district website includes material that originally came from the USAID Office of the Inspector General’s Fraud Awareness Handbook.  That agency deals with foreign aid projects but much of it applies to local projects, too.

The Keys face significant challenges like adapting to sea level rise and providing affordable housing.  How can the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) be trusted to effectively address these critical issues after bungling the wastewater projects so badly?  Their track record isn’t so great on other capital projects either. Continue reading →

Posted in Big Coppitt, Bubba System, Cudjoe Regional, Wastewater | Leave a comment

State of the County Presentation

Posted on April 19, 2016 by M_Blank
Melting Nazi

Ahhhhhh!!!  Facts – they burn!

I think we all know by now that Monroe County government is run on bluster and bull-poop.  Their stubbornly truth-averse style has led to all sorts of problems, but they have an unshakable commitment to it regardless of repeatedly poor results.  Frankly, they don’t seem to know any other way.  A logical, fact-based analysis would melt their brains.  Think vampires and garlic.

With that in mind, I thought I’d take a look at the state of the county presentation.  I’ve already examined the 2015 State of the County report.  It’s not quite as delusional as last year’s, but still misleading.  It’s almost like the county has a strange compulsion to hoodwink the public.  They just can’t help themselves. Continue reading →

Posted in BOCC, Monroe County | Leave a comment

Off Topic: Trump’s Whining

Posted on April 19, 2016 by M_Blank
Trump_AP407668305613.sized-770x415xt

Whaaaaa!  I want my mommy!

The big story in politics these days is Trump’s whining about the GOP’s “rigged” delegate system.  To be honest, certain aspects of the nomination process make me a bit queasy, too.  For instance, voters in Colorado, Wyoming and North Dakota have no direct say in choosing the Republican nominee.  But Trump knew the rules going in.  Or should have known.  If he didn’t, then that’s on him.  If he can’t be bothered to learn what it takes to win the Republican nomination, how can he be bothered to learn what it takes to run the United States of America? Continue reading →

Posted in Elections, Off topic | Leave a comment

Spin Disease Is Spreading

Posted on April 18, 2016 by M_Blank

spinThere’s a good editorial on KeysNet.com:  School District doesn’t need a spin doctor.

I think any government agency can use the services of a good Public Information Officer (PIO).  Educating the public.  Disseminating accurate information.  Counter-acting misinformation.  Making sure public records requests are answered properly and timely.  These are all necessary and legitimate functions of a PIO.  The editorial makes that point very nicely. Continue reading →

Posted in Media, School District | Leave a comment

The Best Thing the Governor Can Do For the Keys

Posted on April 17, 2016 by M_Blank

Coulda3Good news!

Gov. Scott signs Florida Keys Stewardship Act into Law

The Florida Keys Stewardship Act is now officially law.  It’s a blessing but a mixed one.  As always, it is subject to interference and manipulation by the usual suspects.  The Keys didn’t get everything they asked for but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – the situation being what it is.

As beneficial as the Florida Keys Stewardship Act may be, there is one thing the Governor could do that would have even more of a positive impact:

DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH THE ISSUES ON THE FLORIDA KEYS AQUEDUCT AUTHORITY BOARD. Continue reading →

Posted in Bubba System, Conflict of Interest, State government, Wastewater | Leave a comment

Canal Restoration – Another Gotcha

Posted on April 15, 2016 by M_Blank
fall-42532__340

Trust us.  This will turn out great – just like the wastewater projects.

Monroe County held a special meeting regarding canal restoration.  There’s a story about it on KeysNet.com.  As usual, there are huge numbers, little clarity and a forced sense of urgency.  The county commissioners had nothing to offer but the usual clueless commentary.

The dust hasn’t even settled on the wastewater projects, and the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is allowing themselves to be pushed into this canal restoration project.  They are determined to drag the taxpayers along with them.  The estimated cost of this latest fiasco-in-the-making is somewhere between $200 million and $700 million. Continue reading →

Posted in BOCC, Canal Restoration, Monroe County | Leave a comment

Big Coppitt – Bid Irregularities?

Posted on April 14, 2016 by M_Blank
puzzle-210785__340

Big Coppitt:  it’s a puzzle.

The Big Coppitt project is….interesting.  It is the second most expensive of all the sewer projects in the unincorporated area on a per EDU basis – over $21,000 per EDU.  Cudjoe Regional, of course, comes in first at over $22,000 and counting.

Interesting fact #1:  For all the taxpayer money lavished on this project, it doesn’t seem to function all that well.  Monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR’s) required by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) indicate ongoing difficulty meeting effluent requirements.  FDEP conducted an inspection that found numerous issues.  The ongoing problems are discussed here and here. Continue reading →

Posted in Big Coppitt, FKAA, Wastewater | 1 Comment

Campaign Season!

Posted on April 13, 2016 by M_Blank

I votedLocal politicians are gearing up for campaign season.  I’m focused primarily on the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).  Changes on the BOCC have the greatest potential for positive improvement.  This BOCC has been a disaster.  They’ve overseen the financially out-of-control Cudjoe Regional project – $49 million over budget (to date) and dogged by well-deserved controversy.  The Keys have had little success securing much-needed state sewer funding ever since that stink bomb of a project hit. Continue reading →

Posted in BOCC, Elections, Monroe County, Wastewater | Leave a comment

Corruption Bill Follow-up

Posted on April 12, 2016 by M_Blank

New Monroe County Logo2The Keys have certainly suffered through their share of corrupt government officials.  The iPhone Bandit is still the County Administrator even after purchasing gadgets stolen from the county – for cash.  Let’s not forget, this is the guy who is paid (very well I might add) to be responsible for taxpayer money.  Fortunately for the iPhone Bandit and unfortunately for the taxpayers, the Board of County Commissioners admires his wily ways.

Comm. Heather Carruthers also took advantage of this steal of a deal.  She’s running again in November.  I guess she thinks the taxpayers still have a little juice left.  She’s proposed a new sales tax that will shift the cost of fire and emergency services from large commercial property owners to low and moderate income locals.  And, oh by the way, county staff made some very misleading statements in support of Carruthers’s proposal.  As it turns out, Carruthers herself stands to benefit.  So will some of her campaign donors. Continue reading →

Posted in Public Records, State government | Leave a comment

Another Day, Another Request

Posted on April 11, 2016 by M_Blank
monkey on phone

Hey boss, I’m only off by 250% this time!

Update:  I followed up with the FKAA again to secure that missing bid tab from Big Coppitt.  I copied the board members this time.  I also asked the county for the “state of the county” slide show.  Taking that thing apart might be fun.

I’m very curious as to how $25 million worth of capital projects exploded into $63 million.  I wrote about the situation here and here.

I submitted a public records request for the initial estimate and the current estimate.  A responsible government entity would be able to provide detailed estimates that clearly show which line items increased and/or decreased.  Of course, I’m not dealing with a responsible government entity.  I’m dealing with Monroe County.  So I’ll see what happens.

I post about my public information requests on the blog because it seems to help the information pop out.  Plus I like to let people know what to expect when they submit a public information request.  Sometimes county staff will answer right away.  Sometimes they’ll give you the runaround.  Sometimes they’ll try to ignore you.  I find that copying the attorney on my request cuts the ignoring way  down.  So does posting about it on the blog.

As much as the county hates telling the truth, they hate it even more when they get publicly called out on their baloney.

 

Posted in BOCC, Financial Condition, FKAA, Monroe County, Public Records | Leave a comment