More Booker mismanagement

[J. Sharpe James, J.D.]

Cory Booker administration scrambles to keep Newark water treatment plant openDavid Giambusso/The Star-Ledger
05/31/2012 3:01 PM
NEWARK*
— Newark city officials are scrambling to keep the doors open on their water treatment plant after funds for the facility, which treats 80 million gallons of water for 500,000 residents in and around Newark, run out today.*

According to a letter from the State Comptroller's office, Mayor Cory Booker's administration botched an application with the state earlier this year for a three-year, professional services contract to treat the water. City officials wanted to give the $16 million contract to the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation without public bidding or a public hearing.

The comptroller's office said no.*

"The city has failed to submit any documentation demonstrating that it has satisfied the mandatory legal requirements to award this contract to the NWCDC," said comptroller attorney Robert Shane, referring to the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation, which runs the city's water supply and treatment facility.

Following the February letter from the Comptroller, the city instituted an emergency contract to keep the plant open for three months. That contract runs out today, but city officials say not to worry.*

"The City is taking the necessary steps to ensure that water treatment continues," Newark business administrator Julien Neals said in an email to*The Star-Ledger, adding that facility employees and city hall staffers "are working together to extend the service. The residents can be assured that water treatment will continue without interruption."

Neals said that the city could institute another emergency contract but did not say if that had happened yet.
Southward Councilman Ras Baraka said the contract issue was an example of "gross mismanagement" in the Booker administration.
A frequent critic of the watershed, Baraka said theat the Booker administration was seeking to circumvent the city council, because they are demanding watershed operations be brought under city control.
"They know we don't support the watershed so they're trying to operate and go around what we're saying," he said.
In the letter, sent to Neals earlier this year and obtained by*The Star-Ledger*this week, the comptroller's office chided the city not only for their faulty application for a three-year, $16 million contract, but also for failing to follow up after the application was filed.*

The city wanted to award the treatment plant facility to the Newark Watershed, which has come under fire by residents and council members for allegations of profligate spending and political patronage.*

The comptroller's office declined to comment.

THIS NEVER HAPPENED WHEN THE CRUSTY GYM TEACHER WAS MAYOR!

[Miss Tam-Tam]

Are there any grown-ups in city hall capable enough to just get things done one way or the other?

Head for the showers now!!!

[Inkwell]

This is yet another example of this administrations inability to govern or manage city business. I guess Sharpe James made it look easy. Cory isn't qualified to sweep the streets or clean toilets. Finally, his farce is exposed, unfortunately at the expense of resident safety. Cory was bought and paid for by outside interests but no media particularly the local paper showed no interest in publicizing Cory's contributors. All folks wanted was a "change" well as I've said from the beginning, all change in not necessarily good. How about experienced, proven change, not manufactured in a think tank. Cory as any politican, is beholden to them that brung them to the dance. His money came from outside sources --not local fundraisers -- and that is where his allegiance lies. He's rarely in Newark, so what does he care if the water is tainted. I wonder if Amador is reconsidering his remark about Mayor James' "micro-management" style he made shortly after the 06 election. Yea, the City of Newark is a very complex government, and needs "micro-managemnt" to keep that ship afloat, not a part-time, ambitious mayor who doesn't have the sense to appoint competent employees to properly manage things. I guess it took a slight to President Obama to finally exposure Booker for what he really is. Karma is a beautiful thing.

[J. Sharpe James, J.D.]

From looking at the Newark WaterShed Board of Trustee Meeting minutes (of which Mayor Cory Booker, Donald Payne Jr. and Oscar James Jr. II are on the Board) mayor Cory Booker attended Zero out of Eight Board of Trustee meetings in 2011. Hmmmm I guess he was too busy hitting the TV talk show trail and hanging out with Oprah and his star circle friends instead of doing the job he was hired for.

For 2012, the Board meetings for January and February were both cancelled because they did not have enough members show up to have a quorum... Meeting minutes for March, April and May were not posted. I guess keeping the water flowing is not (and has not been) a priority for Mayor Booker..

See for yourself http://www.newarkwatershed.com/html/trustees.html

[5Reasons]

Originally Posted by Miss Tam-Tam

Are there any grown-ups in city hall capable enough to just get things done one way or the other?

Head for the showers now!!!

And so Booker's mismanagement from the budget to water has been exposed yet again. His ineptitude on just the fundamentals of this job are nauseating. And the fact that this clown fired someone after the Fame Monster turned on him says all you need to know about him as a supervisor. I've seen those bosses before; they're worthless. I hope someone actually comes out and publishes a book detailing how many nights our motivational speaker actually spends in Newark per year. I think the Vegas odds for over/under is 50.

Don't hold your breath waiting for Booker to come up with a plan. After all, has Newark even passed a budget for this year?

[Indigo_Soul]

Since he is currently in Seattle, I don't think this is a priority to him. Guess it will have to wait until after speech season to get resolved.

[Maximus Returns]

This story is buried in a Friday edition. Why not Sunday or Monday when readership is up?

[Pandora]

This all seems deliberate if you ask me. Booker and company have been trying to ram the MUA down our throats for some time. Despite the fact that the people of Newark gagged and spit out the notion, they are still pursuing it with vigor behind closed doors.

THE WORST THE WATER DEPARTMENT LOOKS, THE MORE LIKELY THEY ARE TO GET THE VOTES THEY NEED FOR THE MUA.

I smell a dead rat here!!!!