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A novice's take on the local, state and national political scenes
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David Allen
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2010
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February
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- Clear the smoke!
- Stubborn facts cont...
- Rainy Day Fund
- To text, or not to text?
- More stubborn facts
- Town Hall
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- Drug awareness meeting tonight
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- Computer conundrum cont.
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- Smoked
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- Computer conundrum
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February
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12 comments:
Sounds like you view the City of Arkansas City in the same light as thyose banking executives who are doling out million dollar bonuses while operating off tax-payer monies.
Mr. Seaton, it's economy of scale and failure, by the media, to hold accountable such unconscionable requests by the professional heads of City becomes an advocacy and even propoganda for more wreckless spending in the future.
With all due respect Mr. Seaton, I disagree. This is not about trying to get the latest greatest technology for the City employees. This is about blatant disregard for tax-payer dollars. Yes. Do commend the governing body for shutting it down. But how dare the press simply wink at the City staff for "getting caught" this time.
Instead of waiting to see what the professional staffers will try sneak past the Commissioners next, someone should be digging into how many times such fraudulent expenditures have been approved without being brought to light.
It would appear that the City could be operating much more efficiently and economically instead of brow beating its water customers to bring me mo money mo money mo money.
On this issue you and I are in total agreement. Don't get used to it. :)
The truth is that the commission HAD to step in. There was no other way in order to protect the citizens of Arkansas City, and our tax dollars.
I am grateful that this commission and the previous commission recognized problems and has stepped in to be a part of the solution.
They could have easily allowed further hurt to the citizens of Arkansas City instead they stopped it and for that we are very thankful.
David you had one comment on the prev blog in which the writer disses the comm.
But all the rest were pats on the back for the comm. So where was your input what do you really know.
Me thinks you like to jump in when you don't have the facts. You weren't at the work session or the meetings and you haven't heard first hand what all the hub bub is about.
Please before you go trying to get people to bash this comm or start trouble you should get facts about what really happened and why the comm was forced to take action.
Just out of curiosity, what happens if this so called fix fails and the commission has spent some $10,000 to $20,000 to find out they have to buy new software? I'd like to thank the commission, but it seems to me like a gamble. If it pays off all is well and good. If it fails who do we hound next?
You have to wonder if the people that work with the system know something more than the people who are listening to complaints about the system.
How many of the commissioners have first hand knowledge of how the system works? It's still my (our) money, and I'd like to know it is more than a gamble.
Anonymous said...
Just out of curiosity, what happens if this so called fix fails and the commission has spent some $10,000 to $20,000 to find out they have to buy new software?
Let's see now.....
A $20K gamble or a $250K gamble.
Not sure I follow your frugal reasoning.
Perhaps your experience is never having software be released without later discovering problems. Some with cheap fixes and some with very expensive repairs.
So, how many $20K fixes could be done before $250,000 was spent? You do the math.
It is still a gamble. I think the commission should look into it more yet. If you think wasting $10K to $20K is better than wasting $250K you must have money to burn. I don't want them to waste any of it. Find the answers and get guaranteed contracts. Quit gambling with our money!
Keeping the same computer software is not a gamble. There wasn't anything wrong with it to start with. The administrative staff had not allowed updates to be done, only 1 person had been through limited training. The administration was so convinced that they would have no problem getting the new system they wanted they refused programs that were available.
Did you also know that this was not just a 250K buy they would have to run both systems for up to one year meaning we the taxpayers would have to pay for both.
Did you know that there was only 1 bid presented to the commission only one NO TAXPAYER would think that was a good idea.
Did you know that each problem identified by staff as a reason to change software vendors was later found to be human error or was corrected within a few minutes once the software vendors customer service department was made aware.
Did you also know that in a meeting with the software vendor, commission, and several staff members, the customer service provided by the current vendor was called exceptional by the staff.
Nice Try though!
No cumputer software will do everything in the world that every employee wants.
This city commission did not gamble they spent weeks consulting, educating themselves, and researching each aspect of the system.
They even in an effort to protect the taxpayers invited experts in the IT field to be apart of the process. This was no gamble
This was a steady and educated commission that was keeping a watchful eye just as they were elected to do.
@ February 10, 2010 3:12 PM
Well stated. Now, I suppose a few anons will get on here and try to revert to comments about unfounded opinions again and toss in a bit of name calling.
Heck the Dir of Admin will probably post another anonymous attack.
Kudos to the comssioners for poking through the papier-mâché request for wasteful spending.
It's about some level of government had to make do instead of just strong-arming the citizens.
Sometimes City State and Feds are like three bullies on the corner near the grade school waiting to shake down the defenseless kids for their lunch money.
Find the answers and get guaranteed contracts. Quit gambling with our money!
February 10, 2010 1:24 PM
Point is there are no gaurunteed contracts. There are contracts.
The City sought to terminate a contract for service with the current vendor simply because of a had promise to deliver a contract between a new vendor with the City of Arkansas City.
Why they made such a bold promise, I do not know. Clearly, they thought they could walk it through without resistance.
In the end, the reasons listed for wanting the new deal actually contradicted the reasons initially stated.
The citizens would benefit from following the activities your commisioners deal with inside city hall. There were four major memos issued on the matter over the last few months.
In an effort to justify the request, each memo would deny statements printed in the preceding memo.
Finally the staff joined in an orchestrated temper tantrum when the current vendor rep showed up. It was anything but professional. Never saw anything like it in any other city I've ever lived in.
There seem to be a lot of people that witnessed what happened at these meetings. How many of you are commissioners and how many of you are city employees? Obvious to most people.
When do the people of Ark City get to comment? And when will we be heard?
2:21
You just had the floor and didn't say anything.
There are always some people at the meetings they talk to people. There is the blog lots of people read that there is the newspaper more readers there. There is the commission I am sure they talk to people answer questions as well as the staff.
So to answer your question, probably everyone on the blog is a citizen, some may be commissioners, some may be city employees, and still some may just be interested citizens but does that matter as long as the truth comes out. As long as the citizens learn the truth about the process.
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