“We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Code”

Public Works Scandal Continued

According to our source, Bob Maestas, he told members of the Chicano Chamber of Commerce that he was told by Councilor Hahn to take his “paperwork” and his “grievance” to the Town Attorney, not to Taos Friction.

But Councilor Hahn disagrees with the characterization. Here’s a note from our favorite “social engineer” who would bring justice…to the 19th Century occupation and celebrity re: Kit Carson.

“Hi Bill,
I have never told anyone ever to not go to the Friction or any other paper.
Fritz
(as a funny aside, given all the negative editorials of late, I hesitate to respond – haha!)

We’re glad Councilor Hahn is laughing and hope he continues today as we discuss the further adventures of the Black Hat i.e. “El Negro Sombrero.”

Development of Camino de la Merced

The Engineer estimated costs for 375 linear feet of road improvements at $207, 354.50. But the bid exceeded the estimate by $103, 636.00 or 49.8%. Mobilization, moving equipment from the Taos Public Works yard to Camino del Medio cost $35,000 and traffic control cost $11,000.00. Furthermore there are two service contracts associated with Souder Miller, the town’s favorite engineer and giveaway target, an engineering firm that makes local favorite, Alex Abeyta look like a piker.

For this project, one engineering contract, dated, April 2013, was for $149,346.35. A second contract, dated July 1, 2014, signed by Mayor Dan Barrone, was for $40,646.04. Therefore the total engineering fee was $189,992.39 for 375 feet of roadway, civil design, from Highway 68 to Salazar Road as well as for waterline design. According to construction bids, the engineering fees exceeded 30% of the construction contracts, totaling $630,911.3. Engineering fees should be in the 9 to 12 % range.

Taos Friction agrees that these controversial posts about Public Works could be otherwise interpreted just as the Judicial Standards Board re-interpreted practices in the local District Attorney’s case that ignored seeking warrants from a judge or grand jury. Basically the board determined that the DA operated in a “gray area” re: “hometown” subpoenas. For too long the Public Works Department has been operating in a similar “gray area,” and like the DA, operates in a playground environment without adult supervision, where  the rule of law or procurement code no longer applies.

No Windex

The culture of credit card abuse and procurement provocation that reached a climax under the Cordova administration and resulted in the firing of a whistle blower, during the transition from Cordova to Barrone, is symbolic of the atmosphere at a Town where middle management employees behave like promiscuous spendthrifts.

Some folks miss the iron hand of former Town Manager, Slick Gus, who limited the chaos and the headlines to Taos County by flying under the radar more than a decade ago. Anyone who gets close or asks for accountability of this administration is likely to be attacked by the mob, a mob unleashed by the Hahn, Bellis, and Barrone forces.

This admin team claims we should trust them because they are doing work behind the scenes. But I would argue that we elected them to do “transparent” and “honest work,” not cover up the doings of the Black Hat (Negro Sombrero).

There’s more to come, much more to come about mismanagement.