And then. Get a load of this performance review of the municipal water authority, which apparently was just released:
Problems at the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority run the gamut from excess turnover among top managers and over-reliance on outside contractors at much greater cost, to inadequate attention to cleaning and maintaining the system and a lack of accountability at all levels, according to the authority's most recent performance review. (P-G, Amy McConnell Schaarsmith, AKA ShaarDog.)
It's a very fortunate thing that Amy doesn't read blogs or anything of that sort. Things could have gotten seriously out of hand.
*-UPDATE: Apparently this review has only recently been re-released after a very exclusive opening run. Search therein for the term "83-page report". Who is revealing this 2009 report with such guarded discretion and at such portentous junctures?
pretty much sums it up, but here is the only problem. The only group of people not mentioned in the article is the group that should accept most of the blame - the board. These problems are obviously institutional, not just related to one employee. Thus, the board is responsible.
ReplyDeletethe mayor appoints all the board members, doi
ReplyDeleteCouncil has to approve, apparently.
ReplyDeleteAt least, the 2008 bond paperwork said, "The Board of the Authority consists of seven (7) members with no fewer than six (6) members appointed by the Mayor of the City and approved by City Council."
I suppose the 7th member is whoever can burp the longest.
Bombshell? It isn't even a burp.
ReplyDeleteConsider the source.
What's up with Bob Jablonowski(sp.)? He's a PWSA board member and best friend of Bob O'Connor and the clan. I understand his term is almost up. Will Luke reappoint him? If not, could be an unfriendly gesture toward incoming O'Connor.
ReplyDeleteJabo's a joke! Even then Mayor OConnor gave
ReplyDeletehim a bs board spit rather than a real jib... which
he was promised. He was Bob's gofer.. nothing
more!
The info on board members is here. If the website is accurate (and it's not always) then we have:
ReplyDeleteOne Vacancy
Henry C. Blum, serving on a term that is now 8 months expired, who may have been appointed by Mayor Tom Murphy on his last day in office?
Robert P. Jablonowsky and State Rep. Dan Deasy, who both appear to have been appointed by Mayor Ravenstahl in the wee months of his administration in '06.
City Treasurer Margaret Lanier and city Finance Director Scott Kunka, each appointed by Mayor Ravenstahl a couple months after that.
Patrick Dowd, member of City Council, appointed in late 2009.
Huh. I would have thought the PWSA board might include somebody who's an expert in water and sewer engineering and/or management.
ReplyDeleteThey give all new members a map of the system and a copy of Everybody Poops.
ReplyDeleteBlum was appointed by O'Connor in May of 2006 (along with former board chair Don Walko. The dates look messed up because the terms had to be staggered.)
ReplyDeleteJabo's a "chemist" and Blum is a "union rep". http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10071/1042315-100.stm (Wonder if that task force ever got anywhere...)
Wrong Bram. In July of 2006 Walko, Jablonowski and Blum were all appointed by Mayor O'Connor. Council must have just taken longer to get around to confirming some than others.
ReplyDeleteThis was the same month in which O'Connor, from his hospital bed, fired the staff he had just appointed to key posts in his government in favor of the advancement of Dennis Regan and Yarone Zober.
Dan Deasy must have been appointed by Luke later to replace Bodack, but it's all the same thing.
Thanks for the corrections / clarifications. Assuming they are fully accurate, Mayor Ravenstahl can be said to be responsible for the vacancy, the expired Blum seat, Lanier and Kunka. Jabolonsky's appointment fully pre-dates the Mayor, as in some manners of speaking does Blum, Deasy looks to be sort of a 50-50 split and Dowd is only answerable to himself (since there are restrictions about installing Council members on boards.)
ReplyDeleteUPMC ... Carnegie Libraries .. now PWSA. Tough times to serve on boards of directorship.
Congrats on the editors choice award. 2PJ lost out to ya jagoff & that's church. I voted for you both lots of times. Will there be a presentation at PodCamp?
ReplyDeleteHey, what do you know! Thanks, CSI! No, I don't think there will be a presentation at Podcamp. More thoughts and thanking tomorrow...
ReplyDeleteGood job on the award.
ReplyDeleteAlso, This guy appears to maybe be lossing more than a primary.
Thanks MH, I most likely would have missed that little story which is too crazy to not enjoy. I have been spending most of my time practicing how to pronounce KUNKA since I do not want to mess it up if I ever get the chance to say the name out loud in public.
ReplyDelete