Questionable bid practice?
To the editor:
With a total disregard or concern for your hard-earned tax dollars, the Ware County Manager and Board of Commissioners lied to a local/prominent and respected business, ignoring previous commission local business preference policies, and funnel your tax dollars to outsiders.
Facts reveal the outsider is a friend and business associate to at least one of the commissioners.
The Ware County Commission used a sub-standard specification bid form, supplied by the outsider, to bid a Ware County project. The specification form was vague, open, and riddled with opportunities to deceive actual work performed for money being paid.
On top of substandard specifications, the Ware County Board of Commissioners knowingly awarded the bid to the outsider, a friend of (Commissioner) Jerry Pope. The outsider was not the lowest qualified bidder, but the “highest bidder,” costing taxpayers an additional $33,000 more in tax dollars for the work performed over a three-year period.
Prior to the actual signing of a contract, the local business owner attended a county commission meeting in April of 2022 and voiced his disappointment and disapproval of the bid process. The local business owner was told the job had been awarded, but later discovered the commission was once more not being truthful — a contract had not been awarded.
The commissioners then asked him if he would be satisfied if they would rebid the work in 2023, and give him another opportunity at the project on a later date. His response was “yes.” The commissioners agreed to rebid the project in 2023.
This is all recorded in the minutes and video of the actual meeting. The year 2023 comes around and the commission elects to just extend the existing contract and not to rebid the project. Liar, Liar pants on fire.
There is a reason politicians cannot be trusted.
After learning the commission had no plans to rebid the project, as was promised, the local business owner approached the commissioners at the January 2023 commission meeting, to address the issue.
Chairman (Elmer) Thrift and Commissioner (Steve) Barnard attempted to do the right thing, and honor their commitment to rebid the project as had been promised.
Commissioner Pope, with the support of County Manager Scott Moye and the remaining two commissioners (Timothy Lucas, Leonard Burse, Jr.) led the charge to once more award the job, without bidding, to Pope’s friend, the high bidder from out of town.
The above actions of the Ware County manager and three of the Ware County commissioners demonstrate a clear case of incompetence and total disregard for the money of the taxpayers of Ware County.
Is it time for a grand jury investigation?
The local company is now seeking legal advice and plans to file a lawsuit against Ware County, which could cost the taxpayers even more money.
James H. Storey, Jr.
Waycross
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Letter to the editor
