Hire A Whole Staff of In-House Professional Engineers.

I just caught the last 2 items of tonight's city commission meeting. The second to last item dealt with the proposed multi-modal bus terminal. During this item, Paul Calapa, the City's Purchasing Director recommended that the Commission delegate the task of Construction Management to the design consultant Carter and Burgess of Fort Worth. The total design and construction inspection fee is projected to be $1.3 million dollars. How much of that is for a construction manager? Although I am not against professional oversight, I just wonder how much the City would save if it had a professional, in house, that could manage this project. How much are they paying Spaw Glass to oversee the construction of the new sports park?

During the last item, the Mr. Calapa mentioned a change to the professional services contract governing the City Landfill. Mr. Calapa stated that due to the stricter rules handed down by the EPA and the TCEQ, the City would need to expand this year's contract to RGR (not sure about the exact name) Engineers of Houston. He recommended that the Commission approve a $169,000 change to the contract because of the new rules and monitoring requirements for air and water quality.

Again, I am not against bringing in experts, but.... why not hire a couple of engineers who can handle, or at least administer part of this work. It would pay for itself! Finally, Mr. Calapa informed the Commission that the estimates for this contract over the next four years will be 2 million dollars. That's 500,000 dollars per year. That's just for the landfill! We are spending our City budget away by hiring professional engineering consu! ltants.

Why not just hire a whole staff of competent in house engineers? All that money could then stay in Brownsville. Right now it's pretty much all going to pay for salaries of residents of Houston and Ft. Worth. It's boosting their economies! Brownsville loses again!

Both items were voted on, unanimously, without any discussion or questions from the commissioners. Who's looking out for you?????