| Cadillac News - DPW Extends Contract of Consulting Firm - 1/06 |
CADILLAC - The Wexford County Department of Public Works gave CTI and Associates, Inc. a strong vote of confidence on Tuesday night. The DPW board voted unanimously to extend its contract with the Brighton-based consulting firm through 2010.
In addition to the regular duties that a consulting firm provides for a landfill, CTI has also been overseeing the ongoing cleanup project of the Wexford County Landfill, a project that has been in operation since groundwater contamination was discovered at the site nearly two years ago. CTI has had a contract with the DPW since 2003.
The DPW paid approximately $650,000 in consulting fees to CTI in 2005, according to DPW Director John Divozzo. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has mandated the use of qualified engineering consultants at the landfill.
Divozzo said by phone on Wednesday afternoon that the amount paid for consulting was within the 2005 budget and was a reasonable amount given the scope of work being done presently at the landfill.
DPW chairman Mike Solomon spoke
highly of CTI at Tuesday`s board meeting, stating that he feels “very comfortable with what`s being done and what`s being reported.” Solomon also noted that the company`s consultant rates are “comparable with those throughout the industry.”
DPW board member Jay Thiebaut, a CPA, said that he believes CTI is the best engineering consulting firm in the state and that he hoped to see the contract extended. Thiebaut noted that CTI has consistently come in under budget in the individual projects that the company has undertaken to date.
“They`re doing an excellent job,” Thiebaut said.
Landfill manager Rich Leszcz agreed that the firm is adequately and professionally doing what it was hired by the DPW to do.
Board member Eric Olson noted the benefits of having “continuity” at the landfill and the potential disadvantages of changing firms at this time. Olson said that changing companies now would generate added costs and also create a situation where the new consulting firm would require a number of months to learn everything concerning the landfill and reach the point where CTI is currently.
Board member Dan Darnell asked Divozzo if he was comfortable that the invoices placed on the consent agenda each month for board approval
represented legitimate costs. Divozzo responded that he was.
Board member Tom Rozich said that even though CTI is apparently doing a good job, he still felt that it was a good idea for the board to get bids from other consulting firms.
Rozich later agreed to extend the contract of CTI, but only after he expressed strongly that he thought it was in the best interest of the DPW to hire a qualified individual, possibly a registered engineer, to act as a “bird dog” on the county`s behalf.
The board agreed to look into the possibility of hiring someone for that purpose.
By Mike Dunn - Cadillac News |
