Please attend "Re-do" of Illegal BCWA vote for Legal Counsel Wednesday Night 1/16!
There is a very important meeting tomorrow night at BCWA. They will be re-doing their ILLEGAL vote to award the RFP for Legal Counsel to Ms. Mack. I have printed the agenda below.
Please try to come to this meeting. They need to know that people are watching. I do not know which 3 of the five original candidates will be reapplying, but two of them are being interviewed in executive session.
Please call your BCWA director and let him know that you are very concerned about this vote. Twenty years of one law firm is more than enough and can hide a multitude of sins. Please note that this infraction was originally denied in writing by Ms. Marchand, then when questioned again at the Warren Meeting it was denied again by Ms. Marchand and Mr. Klepper, but they agreed to look into it, then when they did look into it with the AG's office, they apparently did not give all of the facts so that they could manipulate the response that they wanted.
The irony of this is that they have had a long history of thwarting the open meetings laws... and should know the rules by now. And to break the rules to award a LEGAL contract is over the top! They are completely out of control.
I know the first meeting is at a very awkward time and it may be hard to attend, but please try to attend the open session at 6:00pm where public input is allowed.
Ray Palmieri: 245-6039
Robert Allio: 316-4240
Allan Klepper 245 4662
Frank Sylvia
Paul Bishop
Kevin Fitta
John Jannito
Joe Demelo - 347 3585
Bill Gosselin - 245 4662
I don't have all of their numbers but I am sure you can get them by calling the executive director at BCWA - Pam Marchand 245-2022. We have suggested many times that the numbers for our directors should be on the website to make contact easier.
Also, please call your Town Councilors and ask that they attend this very important meeting.
3 candidates are being interviewed. One in open session and 2 in closed session. Special Board Meeting
Wednesday ~ January 16, 2013 ~ 4:15 PM
~ 450 Child Street, Boardroom ~ Warren, Rhode Island ~
_____________________________________________________________________________
1. Call to Order
Legal Services Interviews & Discussion
1. Open Session - 4:20 pm
One Candidate
2. Closed Session – per RIGL 42-46-5 (a)(1) – 4:45 pm
Two Candidates
Open Session – 6:00 pm
Public Input
Discussion/Action: Vote
1. Legal Services Selection
2. Operation & Maintenance Budget
Next Meeting
January 23, 2013
Adjournment
Manifold Witness
5:17 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Thank you for this information, Marina.
Bristol County Anonymous
9:58 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Mrs. Mack’s hourly rate is $375.
That's excessive.
And 20 years is too long.
We were told that the 11% water rate increase is needed or BCWA will run out of funds.
And even with the 11% rate increase, there’s not enough money to fix the infrastructure.
Yet the “old-guard” directors want to continue paying Mrs. Mack’s $375 per hour.
I hear the Kent County Water Authority lawyer hourly rate is only $160.
That’s less than half Mrs. Mack’s current hourly rate.
Mrs. Mack used to be paid even more. Her rate was $475 per hour at the same time the infrastructure was allowed to fall apart.
We see the same-old pattern of continued open government law violations, more lame excuses; and how about the latest example of not fessing-up the truth to the AG?
BCWA is a sick entity.
BCWA needs a new objective lawyer at a reasonable hourly rate.
Town Councilors, please go the meeting tomorrow
And enough with “institutional knowledge” crap – we can see the result of that, and we don’t buy it.
Jack Baillargeron
2:52 am on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
There is no logical reason to hire Mack again in my opinion. The fact that there is still to this day a lack of knowledge by the BCWA legal arm on open meetings laws, to include the Board Chairman is just unfathomable.
Talk about the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing geesh. I am having a hard time seeing anything different happening at te BCWA at all. It is still appearing "status quo" and no public information being put out on specifics of its budget. Disgusting as usual.
Still Broke
12:57 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Why not have the 2 candidates being interviewed in closed session go first? That way, people who are working would have a chance to attend the one interview that is open and the public comments would be more relevant.
Jack Baillargeron
1:03 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Sadly all bidders should be in the open as well as a copy of the contract they are bidding on. How can the people have a response when we do not know what the criteria is or what the bidder's specific offers are.