#1 2010-06-17 20:48:18
See Section 4, now who didn't do their research?
http://www.wareham.ma.us/Public_Documen … 4-000F8513
Wareham has long been known to have large rocks, why don't you ask Jane? She grew up in Parkwood, she knows. Also, you may want to take a look at the actual contract. These contracts all contain contingencies. I don't know who was responsible for boring. What I heard the consultant say was that they bored every 300 feet along a line. Shame on them. They should have drilled where the pumping station was going. No matter, the people of Parkwood are on the hook for more money. At least one of the selectmen realized that we are being nickled and dimed, too bad she wasn't smart enough to vote against it.
You also may want to do some research on the prior work that has been done by this contractor. I would tell you where to go but I figure you could use a little practice being a journalist.
In as much as I can't stand you, of all the "media" here I expected you would stick up for the little guy. There are lots of us living out here who live on very limited fixed incomes. So far no one has been able to give us a betterment figure. If that number is as high as some suggest I know I will be forced to sell as will many of my senior neighbors.
I guess this is my jeer to you and Steve Holmes for his public critisism. The last thing we need is a bickering board, the two of you can work out your problems somewhere else.
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#2 2010-06-18 07:32:21
Zoo, you bring up some excellent points here. But perhaps you haven't heard. The tacky tabloid writer doesn't read this blog anymore. Still, the people who do read the blog might be interested in FACTS. I happen to know a geologist (haha) and Cara Winslow was absolutely right. Any contractor working in Wareham should know we have boulders that size ALL OVER town.
Wareham is a GLACIAL MORAINE. Period. So "boulders of that size" are not "rare" in that part of town. Period. Any contractor with a "drop of knowledge" about Wareham terrain, SHOULD absolutely know this. (hey, I'm not a contractor but I know that I can't even plant a pot of petunias in my yard without having to dig out some rocks!!!)
And we are to believe it was just "bad luck" that it wasn't found?? I want to know why the contractors only bore every 300 feet??? In a town littered with huge boulders that is simply not good enough. And when a contractor does bore and finds NO boulders??? That should send up a red flag and they should do additional boring just to be sure. The chances of hitting a boulder in Wareham is astronomical compared to towns that are NOT glacial moraines.
We are told that there is always an additional percentage built into these contracts so we shouldn't worry about it. I disagree. I think we should worry about it. Who wants to pay more than necessary for a job? I certainly don't.
The bottom line is that IF the town doesn't have to go into this built in over-charge, the TOWN, (therefore those paying the betterment), SAVES money and the fees are lower for the citizen going on sewer. So Zoo, you are right. The little guy gets it again. Who should be watching out for the little guy and trying to SAVE money??
The job of the BoS (also sewer commissioners in this case) is to try to make sure the lowest cost is passed on. Only Cara Winslow was willing to stand up for the little guy.
Also, since when does moving/removing ONE boulder cost more than $62,000??? I say more because Steve Holmes claimed that we got a deal on the cost, that in reality it cost more. I'm wondering how much more.
We had an addition put on our house and low and behold, a huge boulder was found. The addition was dug out at 16x25. The boulder was almost a third of that size. Sure, it cost us a little more for them to find a spot on our property with NO boulder, dig a huge whole, and move the boulder into it. I'm talking a few hundred dollars more......not $62,000 more!!
The boulder that according to CDM was 10x10x12 (not 12x15) could have been removed, put on a semi truck, driven to California, dumped in the Pacific, and the truck driven back and it shouldn't have cost $62,000!!!!!!!!! So I'm wondering why one boulder would cost the town (read little guys) so much money. Even if they had drilled the boulder breaking it into several pieces, I don't see how disposal and extra work hours could cost so much. Of course, since I'm not a geologist or a contractor, I'm asking the question. I like to get my facts straight BEFORE I make accusations!! Why did it cost so much to deal with one boulder? What am I missing?
SO KUDOS TO CARA for doing what the entire BoS should do. The BoS should not rubber stamp every bill that comes across the desk.
But Zoo, I do disagree with your comment that she wasn't "smart" enough to vote against it. The work had been done and the contractor needed to be paid. What she did was put them on notice that she (representing the citizens and taxpayers of Wareham) will be watching out for her constituency. Something the entire board should be doing.
I DO agree with you Zoo that the bickering and public criticism was out of line. I was hoping that with new members on the BoS, there would be more civility. Time will tell, I guess.
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#3 2010-06-18 07:59:26
One more thing.
Here is word for word what Cara said. “I'm a little bit surprised that the people who bid this job didn’t understand the terrain. What I see is bordering on irresponsible on the part of the people who bid this contract."
Saying someone is "bordering on irresponsible" is NOT THE SAME as calling someone irresponsible. Period.
Twisting someone's words for the sake of a sensational story and in an effort to make someone look bad is unethical in my opinion.
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#4 2010-06-18 08:21:35
i had a boulder about that large ,they drilled holes and blew it up with dinamite , and carted the pieces off , total cost not more than a couple of thousand dollars , kudos to cara , and cara next time prees your point a little harder , ask for say an outside contractor be called for an opinion. dont let them shut you up , will you be warehams joan of ark . i know you can do it thats what we elected you for , keep up the good work . the idiots will rag on you , they are stupid and dont amount to much in life a parcel of loosers but you will be my joan of ark.
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#5 2010-06-18 08:48:26
Ham of Peace here.
Oh, how I envy Cara Winslow's jeers - aka the coveted "An Asshole Doesn't Like Me So I Must Be Doing Something Right Award."
Bobo doesn't jeer Ham as much as he used to, not since he realized that I wear all of these jeers like a badge of honor.
Jeer recipients should get actual medals to wear so the people can see what a good job they are doing - because if someone who is pure evil thinks you're doing bad, then obviously you're doing good.
By the way, I thought the last part of Bobo's jeer, when he lectures Winslow about "dragging Wareham into a losing battle in Court" was funny.
I laughed for three hours straight when I read that. Bobo, you clown, how many losing court battles have your friends, the Brucey Bunch, dragged Wareham into? Is it even possible to count all of the taxpayer dollars that have been flushed down the toilet on losing lawsuits that your friends caused for the town without involving expert mathematicians?
Bottomline is someone complaining about a boulder pales in comparison to the anarchy that the Brucey Bunch wrought on this town with their boorish behavior.
Bobo, this is why people call you and your friends the "Hypocrite Elite." Now run along and tell your columnist to pay his taxes.
Last edited by Hamatron5000 (2010-06-18 09:00:19)
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