and a call for oversight of public procurement and contracts...!!!
The Trenton City Council meeting of July 27, 2010 was pre-school and kindergarten for most council members and residents who were basically naive about acquisition, upgrade and maintenance of public infrastructures.The City Administration made available technical staff from Trenton Water Works (TWW) and the Sewer Department to present the facts relative to the needs for capital improvements and upgrades to both public utilities.
The first presentation was made by Joseph McIntyre, Superintendent of the Sewer Department. He explained that the proposed improvement to the City's sewage treatment facility was necessary because there has not been capital improvements to the facility's core infrastructure in 30 years. Mr. McIntyre stated that while there has been maintenance as prescribed by industry standards the city's sewer system could not withstand another 3 years without these capital improvements to the facility's core infrastructure.
The first presentation was made by Joseph McIntyre, Superintendent of the Sewer Department. He explained that the proposed improvement to the City's sewage treatment facility was necessary because there has not been capital improvements to the facility's core infrastructure in 30 years. Mr. McIntyre stated that while there has been maintenance as prescribed by industry standards the city's sewer system could not withstand another 3 years without these capital improvements to the facility's core infrastructure.
Among the presenters was TWW's Bill Mitchell who offered a prophetic off-the-cuff personal allusion to the now defeated ballot to sell the suburban infrastructure was absolute confirmation for many in chambers. He rhetorically commented that "the suburban infrastructure must be valuable if American Water or any other utility is willing to purchase it."
I suspected that the experts who have estimated that upwards of 60% of TWW customers are suburbanites in surrounding communities of Ewing, Hamilton, Lawrenceville and Pennington are probably correct. Nonetheless, Trentonians are keenly aware that the TWW is their property and therefore their responsibility. Within that responsibility is the fact that we Trentonians must discipline ourselves to become more literate in managing our public infrastructures and utilities.
Members of the council, like the city residents in attendance received an awakening regarding the economic feasibility for the technical operation and fiscal management of TWW and the Sewage Department. However, some members voiced concern about oversight of past capital spending. Council members Marge Caldwell-Wilson and Alex Bethea alluded to the fact that public funds have been spent in the past on projects that were not as important as upgrading and the maintenance of both public utilities. Mr. Bethea in layman's terms I believe was especially calling for more oversight of all city contracts.
But if at present there is none, the City must develop new and relevant oversight practices for procurement and contracting. The City Administration not have the appropriate oversight mechanism in place is akin to not have a biologist at the TWW to check for bacteria and other chemical anomalies in our drinking water. The water maybe good to consume, but you still need to know what is its quality. It is the same for public procurement and contracts. You definitely need to know what you're paying for; why services and products cost a specific price and if such services and products are available from an alternative source.
The real significance of having an oversight practice which runs on automatic is that no single administration would and should not have control over such an entity. The City oversight practice, which ever department or agency must be a continual process covering the life span of all public contract with any vendor. The City oversight practice must mirroring operations like those of at State's Department of Community Affairs and the Office of the Comptroller.
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