As a person who has helped get FOUR Sioux Falls city councilors and a Democrat elected to the legislature in a conservative district, I often shake my head when I see things like above. While I could certainly go on a very long rant about everything wrong with this mailing, I will only say one thing. If you are running against a popular incumbent, you never, ever attack them in your introductory mailing. I am incredibly baffled as to who is giving this poor soul campaign advice (well I do know who). FAIL!
Taxpayers are going to be building an over $200 million dollar expansion on the plant, and we are only getting a 1-Year warranty, with a 6-year cap on suing the contractor, according to presenters today at the Sioux Falls City Council informational meeting.
What a deal? Think failed HVAC system on admin building, bad siding on EC, leaky roof on Pavilion and failed parking ramp, or multiple problems at the Midco. Taxpayers are holding the bag. EVERY SINGLE TIME!
But the Sh*t show gets even better, since we only are hiring a CMAR (construction manager at risk) they get to pick the contractor with no guidance or permission from city officials, the mayor or city council. NONE. So the contractor actually building the plant wasn’t picked by taxpayers, and it is the same contractor who build the admin building (you know with the failed HVAC. Heck, if they can’t even install an air conditioner correctly, do we really want them to build a sewer treatment plant?)
Let’s talk about red flags folks!
1) We need to eliminate a CMAR on this project and hire our own contractor.
2) We need to have at least a 6-10 year warranty on the work.
In Germany, contractors have to warranty road work, if the roads fail, they must repair them at their cost. Guess what, they are some of the best roads in the world, go figure!
The reason why we have so many ramshackle public building projects in this city is because we don’t have the contractors back up their work. So they cut corners to make a bigger profit margin, and could care less what happens after the project is done because they have no obligation to fix it, unless we pay them or sue them (also at our expense).
It is legalized fraud on taxpayers and it is disgusting. Truly disgusting.
Neitzert argued that it was ludicrous to claim the city doesn’t get warranties. Really?! Please show us the warranties Greg, and if they exist (which I believe they don’t) when are these contractors going to fulfill those warranties?
It’s one thing to go down this path again on a project this expensive, as if we learned nothing, but to peddle mis-truths from the dais is a new low, especially from a guy running for re-election.
Doubt it, probably more pallet humper jobs at Flopdation Park. What I find odd is that in less than two days from the announcement and city councilors have not been told what it is. So much for transparency.
He aided Kansas City in testing innovative ways to provide public transportation, an effort being undertaken by the city of Sioux Falls. Like the on-demand pilot to be rolled out in Sioux Falls this summer, Grigsby told the Argus Leader Monday in an exclusive interview that during his tenure in Kansas City, he assisted a similar effort there.
“It was a successful failure. We did not get it to work the way we wanted to because of how vast Kansas City is, but we did get a success in our paratransit service,” he said. “Being a part of that success on the paratransit side, I’m hoping to be able to share any kind of insight and the history. Sioux Falls has a much better opportunity to have success with its microtransit service simply because of the size of its footprint.”
Aside from public transit, Grigsby also has history with providing innovative efficiencies in public safety technology and digital equity and inclusion.
Be warned, this is a 3 hour meeting, so you may have to watch in segments. Also, we have never had much luck recording audio in this room, so there will be some echoing, etc., bare with us.