GMSA Board Struggles Over Consultant Issue
Members of the Grove Municipal Services Authority, three of which also serve on the City Council and who voted to terminate City Manager Bill Galletly effective Oct. 10, find themselves in a quandary, facing supervision of a $7.5 million Highway 59 utility relocation and other associated public works.
"We have committed $7.5 million in taxpayer dollars for these projects to start this Fall and through Council actions, Galletly will no longer be here and we will lose these two years worth of knowledge," Terry Ryan said. "We need a guardian of this project who is protective of the community and the taxpayer, to see it is completed on time and on budget," he added. Once ODOT gives the go ahead for utility relocation, the city will have 300 calendar days to finish it or face substantial fines of up to $25,000 a day. Ryan is one of the five councilors who voted to terminate Galletly.
GMSA Board Chairman Pete Churchwell said "we will have no one with the city who can bird dog this project" while Mayor Carolyn Nuckolls said "this is a much bigger project than most people know and we need to put away personal feelings and do what's best for Grove." The agenda item in question was a one-year contract for Galletly to serve as consultant to GMSA on the project management. Councilman Larry Parham estimated the total value of the contract at $120,000 including salary, health benefits, taxes, car allowance, and contribution to the City Managers retirement system.
"I would rather see Galletly stay on as City Manager and not have to pay two people," Parham said, although after the meeting he said he would not vote to do so. Although the GMSA board clearly has the three votes to hire Galletly, they voted to table the issue on a motion by Craig Criger which passed 5-0. Ryan said he had been threatened with a lawsuit if he voted for the measure to hire Galletly. So the GMSA board and Council have a major decision ahead, whether to hire Galletly as consultant, someone else as consultant who does not have the knowledge of the several previous years work, keep Galletly on as City Manager for another year, or tell him to go away effective Oct. 10 and pay him for the rest of his contract. It was also pointed out that a new city manager may not be in place before ODOT gives the "go" on the project. Deadline for these applications is Aug. 31.
Insiders point out that hiring Galletly as GMSA consultant was all part of "the package" when he was terminated by City Council. It is clear that some members of the community want Galletly gone and out of town on Oct. 10, but it is unclear how the supervision of the $7.5 million project will be handled. And it has also been crystal clear that Galletly is the only person in city government that knows the details of these projects. A decision based on business, rather than emotion, is called for. Dragging out the decision is also unfair to Galletly, who needs to make plans for himself and ailing wife.
GMSA board members also:
--requested several property owners who want extensions of water or sewer lines to their properties to meet with Galletly to work out solutions.
--tabled action to deny a tort claim from Pete Crow regarding water damage to the interior of one of his empty buildings on Third Street which he says was caused by a water line leak. The claim is to be resubmitted and refiled with the insurance company.
--approved authorization to bid out for utility supplies for 2006-2007 inventory.
--awarded Mid America Company a bid for removal of the Water Plant Residuals not to exceed $550,000 gallons at .0275 per gallon.
--approved a lengthy bid list of items for supplies and materials for the Highway 59 project utilities relocations which Galletly said would be "dozens and dozens" of semi tractor truckloads coming in which would be stored and inventoried. Total amount was $1,641,000. Costs for water and sewer line relocations will be refunded by ODOT at a rate of 72%, with six per cent on gas, he said. The motion to approve passed 5-0.
--acknowledged approvals from DEQ regarding construction of the Grade School Stand Pipe, and construction of water and sewer lines for the new Walgreens store.
"We have committed $7.5 million in taxpayer dollars for these projects to start this Fall and through Council actions, Galletly will no longer be here and we will lose these two years worth of knowledge," Terry Ryan said. "We need a guardian of this project who is protective of the community and the taxpayer, to see it is completed on time and on budget," he added. Once ODOT gives the go ahead for utility relocation, the city will have 300 calendar days to finish it or face substantial fines of up to $25,000 a day. Ryan is one of the five councilors who voted to terminate Galletly.
GMSA Board Chairman Pete Churchwell said "we will have no one with the city who can bird dog this project" while Mayor Carolyn Nuckolls said "this is a much bigger project than most people know and we need to put away personal feelings and do what's best for Grove." The agenda item in question was a one-year contract for Galletly to serve as consultant to GMSA on the project management. Councilman Larry Parham estimated the total value of the contract at $120,000 including salary, health benefits, taxes, car allowance, and contribution to the City Managers retirement system.
"I would rather see Galletly stay on as City Manager and not have to pay two people," Parham said, although after the meeting he said he would not vote to do so. Although the GMSA board clearly has the three votes to hire Galletly, they voted to table the issue on a motion by Craig Criger which passed 5-0. Ryan said he had been threatened with a lawsuit if he voted for the measure to hire Galletly. So the GMSA board and Council have a major decision ahead, whether to hire Galletly as consultant, someone else as consultant who does not have the knowledge of the several previous years work, keep Galletly on as City Manager for another year, or tell him to go away effective Oct. 10 and pay him for the rest of his contract. It was also pointed out that a new city manager may not be in place before ODOT gives the "go" on the project. Deadline for these applications is Aug. 31.
Insiders point out that hiring Galletly as GMSA consultant was all part of "the package" when he was terminated by City Council. It is clear that some members of the community want Galletly gone and out of town on Oct. 10, but it is unclear how the supervision of the $7.5 million project will be handled. And it has also been crystal clear that Galletly is the only person in city government that knows the details of these projects. A decision based on business, rather than emotion, is called for. Dragging out the decision is also unfair to Galletly, who needs to make plans for himself and ailing wife.
GMSA board members also:
--requested several property owners who want extensions of water or sewer lines to their properties to meet with Galletly to work out solutions.
--tabled action to deny a tort claim from Pete Crow regarding water damage to the interior of one of his empty buildings on Third Street which he says was caused by a water line leak. The claim is to be resubmitted and refiled with the insurance company.
--approved authorization to bid out for utility supplies for 2006-2007 inventory.
--awarded Mid America Company a bid for removal of the Water Plant Residuals not to exceed $550,000 gallons at .0275 per gallon.
--approved a lengthy bid list of items for supplies and materials for the Highway 59 project utilities relocations which Galletly said would be "dozens and dozens" of semi tractor truckloads coming in which would be stored and inventoried. Total amount was $1,641,000. Costs for water and sewer line relocations will be refunded by ODOT at a rate of 72%, with six per cent on gas, he said. The motion to approve passed 5-0.
--acknowledged approvals from DEQ regarding construction of the Grade School Stand Pipe, and construction of water and sewer lines for the new Walgreens store.
posted by Editor | 2:02 AM
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