October 5, 2007

Time for major NC DOT change

Yet another blunder by the NC DOT - this time hiding what tax dollars paid for...

A string of news articles in recent months has underscored poor management, incompetence and arrogance in the NC DOT organization. The $20,000,000 costly blunder on improper pavement on I-40 near Durham and Chapel Hill wasted enough tax dollars to more than cover the gap in funding to allow construction of the urgently needed western segment of I-540 to begin. Inadequate planning and funding of new construction vital to expansion of the state's road systems is often discussed in news articles and the DOT organization still has no plan on how to meet badly needed construction and maintenance projects around the state. And now the Governor has had to step in and order Lindo Tippett, Easley's own appointed DOT Director, to release documents related to a $3.6 million contract with a management consultant firm hired by the DOT to evaluate the DOT's own performance.

It is clear that those in charge of the DOT don't have a clue how to manage the organization, much less handle planning and budgeting to meet transportation infrastructure needs of the state. This is one more in a string of problems popping to the surface with a number of appointments made by Governor Easley to run key parts of the state government.

A News & Observer editorial just out states "All this is an embarrassing miscue. The longer DOT lets it continue, the more the department's reputation and credibility will crack like the concrete on the stretch of I-40 that crumbled under the weight of a previous foul-up."

Read what the editorial reveals about the latest of many blunders within the DOT structure and waste of tax dollars...
News & Observer
October 2, 2007
Editorial

DOT's blackout
State transportation officials go against their responsibility to taxpayers in trying to keep a consultant's report secret

It's as sad as it is outrageous when state officials release documents with sections blacked out to keep secrets from the people those officials are supposed to serve. It shows arrogance -- the agency involved doesn't recognize its obligation to public disclosure -- and it evidences a distrust of the people themselves.

An egregious example of all this has just surfaced at the state Department of Transportation, which has behaved secretively at best in regard to a $3.6 million contract with a management consultant. The outside firm was hired earlier this year to assess the DOT, an agency long troubled by interference, inefficiency and internal discontent.

Contract details were blacked out wholesale in documents released to The News & Observer. Even worse is that DOT officials haven't required the consultants, McKinsey & Co., actually to supply a written report. The consultant's findings are being delivered orally, and behind closed doors.

Simply put, the state is spending $3.6 million for information and advice, but it has nothing to show the public.

Said Mark L. Foster, the DOT's chief financial officer, "No, there is no report .... Read more...

No comments: