Gary Czajkowski was convicted of 14 felonies that involved unlawful compensation and a third degree felony of conspiracy. He is back in the news today asking for a new trial. The PBPost originally reported that his company got at least $73 million over a decade in public water and sewer business. What it didn't tell you was, some of those millions were from Lake Worth taxpayers. Click here.
Chaz Equipment worked as a sub-contractor in Lake Worth, working closely with Mock Roos. Chaz had a manhole contract with Delray Beach. Other cities could use that same contract's pricing for their own manhole work, a practice known as piggybacking, without putting the contract out to bid. In part to keep the piggyback contracts coming, according to the charges, Chaz showered officials with a steady stream of gifts and entertainment.
There was one contract back in 2004 through Marine Engineering as the Contractor and Mock Roos, the engineers, for manhole rehab on 6th Avenue South for $435,099. By the time the last change order came through, the contract was up to $551,506. West Palm Beach paid Chaz Equipment $30 million between 2004 and 2010. I have no idea what the City of Lake Worth has paid to them (there would be an extensive research charge) through the years but the above was during the same period where millions were spent at the Utility and millions seemed to vanish overnight. "Piggybacking" contracts were the norm of the day. Have you noticed there is no mention of "piggybacking" lately.
5 comments:
Lynn
Some points you should consider. Piggybacking is not only in the Utilities section of municipalities. All departments at all levels of government use piggybacking and you will find at huge savings to taxpayers. Let's use the ever popular Chaz and Delray contract of 2002; a little research will show the prices were much lower than any recent competitive bid. I question your number of $30m of work for WPB; a little research will show that most was awarded by bid not piggyback. The NFL punishes players for piling on a tackle that has already been made, you would be moved back 10 yards for your narrow minded thoughts. I beg you, go to a local American Public Works Assoc. meeting and witness for yourself the free golf, drinks and "door prizes" provided by contractors and suppliers and given to municipal workers. You won't believe your eyes and Gary Chaz was never a member of this organization! I encourage you and others to focus big picture. If we are to end public corruption the focus of citizens, State Attorneys, Inspector Generals and Ethics Committees needs to be thorough and not selective.
I totally understand piggybacking. however, this case is about pay to play, etc. in order to get those piggy-back contracts. The number I used for WPB was in the research I did. Now, a court of law will determine the outcome here. I am sure this goes on all of the time and none of these employees report it on financial disclosures. It just needs to end. It's not "my narrow minded thoughts." It is the justice system I would suppose.
I have proof that shows the selective enforcement of these laws. Please google Lantana's June 11, 2012 council meeting. One of the agenda items is approval of $150, 000 to be spent on sewer rehab with TV Diversified. The owner of this company is the former superintendent of Chaz, he left in 2008, this is in the time period of the investigation. Don't you think $150, 000 is a lot of money for a tiny municipality like Lantana. Don't you think his personal relationship with a member of the Town's Utility Dept. warrants investigation? Yet, neither you nor any other blogger demanding justice will do anything about it.
Please send your proof to me. lynn113@comcast.net
Please don't blame something on a blogger who has none of the facts.
I am not sure how much piggybacking that was done with the City of West Palm Beach. What I do know is that many times during public bids with the City of West Palm Beach if it was not a favorable to Chaz all bids would be rejected and a rebid would happen. At that rebid Chaz would be low bidder and awarded the project.
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