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ROTTERDAM
Audit criticizes lack of bidding
State says town may have paid too much for services
BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter

    Rotterdam may have paid too much for more than a half-million dollars of professional services procured between 2007 and 2008 because the town failed to use the competitive bidding process, a state comptroller’s audit found.
    Among the contacts singled out by the audit was an agreement the Town Board ratified with Blue Moon Computing, a company founded by former board member Michael Della Villa’s partner at Rockit Science Solutions, the fi rm previously employed to provide the town’s information technology needs. The town did not seek bids or quotes for the service before awarding the contract to Blue Moon, the audit states. Blue Moon was incorporated just two weeks before the contract was awarded and about a month before Della Villa was to take office. The contract was worth $19,200, the audit indicates.
    “By opting not to seek competition for professional services, there is an increased risk that the town is not paying the most reasonable price for those services,” states the audit released by the comptroller’s office Friday. “When this process is not opened to competition, there is also an increased risk of favoritism or impropriety.”
    The 24-page audit does not list either Rockit or Blue Moon by name, and areas of a correspondence between the comptroller’s office and the town that may include them were redacted by the state. However, Blue Moon was incorporated on the date indicated in the audit and has Dave Miller, the co-founder of Rockit, listed as its owner. ..................>>>>..........................>>>>......................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00901&AppName=1

OUt of curiousity, is this the big ethical dilemma of the previous admin?

Not sure how big it is but "ethical dilemma" for sure.  Wow what a surprise--ST and company dolts at best.

Considering an audit was done, and words like "should" were used to describe corrective action...I would venture to say that no laws were broken.  Further, the level of service seemed pretty high!  Bidding should have taken place...but since it's professional services, the bids could have been turned down, right?

Shall we look a little further into graft by previous administrations too? Perhaps there's some similar instances in the Signore/Constantino/Kirvin administrations? Hmmm.

MT you are probably right about that.  But you wouldn't find any in the Paolino administration.

Isn't that a little naive?  

If I am reading this correctly....the town spent approx. a total of $500,000 in ONE year (2007-0 for a service that should have cost a total of $19,200?

$500K for web services provided in 1 or even 2 years?  I have developed web site content.  If a developer charges $500K to develop
and maintain a web site over such a short period of time, he/she is either overcharging or incompetent and inefficient.

Comptroller says that the services were valued at ~$19K.  We were grossly overcharged.  Who in town government signed this
contract?  Was Della Villas' personal business with the Town of Rotterdam while he was a Town Councilman submitted to, reviewed
by, and approved by the Town Ethics Board?  

"Deputy Supervisor Robert Godlewski was aware of the findings and said the board will try to implement any necessary changes,
provided that they weren’t already completed by the previous administration. He said the audit reflects some of the issues he
raised during his first term on the board in 2007.  “Some of the concerns that I had two years ago were justified,” he said. "

Nothing like kissing your own a$$.

Quoted from 518

$500K for web services provided in 1 or even 2 years?  I have developed web site content.  If a developer
charges $500K to develop and maintain a web site over such a short period of time, he/she is either overcharging
or incompetent and inefficient.  Comptroller says that the services were valued at ~$19K.  We were grossly overcharged.
Who in town government signed this contract?  Was Della Villas' personal business with the Town of Rotterdam while
he was a Town Councilman submitted to, reviewed by, and approved by the Town Ethics Board?  

I think you have to read the entire article.  The half million was not all spent on information technology.

Wow what a surprise again.  The Reps in charge spending money like they are printing it in the basement.  Ethics board lost its teeth once ST took over.  Wonder where GP is on this.  I wonder where the ever so brilliant attorney and consultant Tom Buchanan was looking when this happened.  He likes to think he was pulling all the strings.  Has he resigned yet?  Does he know he should?

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Quotd from marymagdelene1234:
I think you have to read the entire article.  The half million was not all spent on information technology.

MM,

Thank you.  I must admit that I did not read the entire article.  

Was Mr. Della Villa's ownership of Blue Moon Computing known to the town government?  The question of submittal to,
review by, and approval by the Town Ethics Board of the dealings of Mr. Della Villa's (newly formed) company remains.
If nothing illegal or unethical transpired, the appearance of impropriety remains because the work was not put
out for competitive bid.

Either way, this pales in comparison to the "pay to play" arrangements that take place at the county level every day.  IMHO

You all have the ability to FOIL the contracts regarding this audit, I suggest you do. I would think that Justin from the
Gazette would have already done that before writing the article.

Latest intel suggests a criminal probe launched by the Gov in waiting.  Special prosecutor and FBI files from yore are back in play.  Its getting darker for the Town Reps, Public Works Coordinator and the former law firm.  Tip of the iceberg I am told.  WOW!