re: New Orleans won't meet deadline to spend $2B in Katrina roadwork funds

I’m in no way defending them-because i hate the city government, but the first years weren’t spent quantifying damage and cost estimates, videoing underground utilities and surveying to make project plans.

Since then it’s been delayed by the city.

Mitch was more concerned about the statues than solving any real problems.

The great state of Louisiana where the only time anything gets fixed is in an election year Nevermind the in between.

quote:

---

I'll bitch at Latoya better than anyone, but she hasn't been shy to get road projects underway. Finishing them is another story

---

Her team just completely fricked up the contracts in doing so is all

The infrastructure czar who just left city hall, Ramsey Green, was so far out of his depth it was beyond laughable. His background was in liberal public education reform and he got put in charge of billions as a political favor. Mitch did the city no favors by focusing on statues but Ramsey Green was criminally inept.

The new guy, Threat, was a marine for decades, then ran a private security firm of some type, and has <5 years of any type of heavy construction contract management or program management experience. At least he is wise enough to farm program management out at this point, but once again, a person in charge of billions with a resume nearly entirely non germane to the job.

quote:

---

the City has been working to try and fix roads and pipes

---

New Orleans is a mother fricking shite hole.

Let it rot. frick New Orleans.

Not surprising because clueless voters accept failure.

quote:

---

At least he is wise enough to farm program management out at this point

---

there is no denying that CNO is useless, but this line is false. the city has their own PMs. As you may guess, some are a waste of oxygen, and others are okay. what the city has done is add, then subtract, then add again layers of "oversight". this means that an engineering firm can "oversee" that details and specifications are being followed. in reality what it does is further slow pay from reaching contractors. typical days to pay for the city is on the neighborhood of 100 days.

It was told to the AGC a few months ago that an extension of 12 months would be approved. It was a LA rep in DC that gave out this information...I do not recall his name. I believe it to be true.

I will tell you the most recent issues that the city is dealing with now...and it is because they are stupid.

1-the city and the civil design engineers have kept OLD cost estimates. meaning a job may be advertised with a $25M cost estimate, but with price increases and knowing the city is useless to deal with...bids will come in close to double that. now, this does not necessarily reject the bid, but it further delays the job happening because they need approval for it being over budget.

2-there are more than enough local contractors to handle this volume of jobs. I can tell you that with +/-$1B set to be bid out in the next year or so....there are not enough DBE contractors to keep up with this volume. and the city requires 36% ish of a project to be done by DBE contractors.