Unbelievable

That's how I describe the Legislature right now.

I will add my email to the Legislature regarding the generator rebid. I had offered to help on the rebid. I asked them to review the cost breakdown from Resolution 273-06, which was developed at the July 11, 2006 Buildings and Grounds Committee Meeting. Apparently they didn't.

This was in addition to the privilege of the floor speech I delivered to the County on June 28, 2007. I asked them the check the cost development and approval.

I am not surprised they didn't.

The Special Meeting for the General Services Committee was to be held at 4:45 pm in Room 304. I came directly from work, but was held up in traffic coming down Groton Avenue at 4:40. I got to the meeting at 4:49pm (by the room clock).

I heard a woman in the room say "there's Chad right there" - I believe it was Susan Morgan, Clerk. No one else acknowledged me. There were about 13 or so Legislators in attendance.

Marilyn Brown asked how much fuel would cost to fill the generator set, Scott Schrader replied "$2.18 per gallon". That will probably cost $2,500 to the project to fill it, as it was not specified with the generator purchase.

Mr. Willcox asked if the 750kW generator would still be able to serve the CCOB. Scott said "and then some". Mr. Willcox asked why the generator was specified so large to begin with (900kW). No answer was provided, but Mr. Schrader then said it will also be able to power some electric fired rooftop units the County is looking into having installed due to excessive heat problems on the upper floor.

Apparently, rather than adjusting controls in the building to reduce heat on the upper floors, the Legislature may consider offsetting the heat with some air conditioning in the winter? BRILLIANT!

Rather than cool the spaces, why not just relocate - or wait - REMOVE!!! - all of the HOT AIR from the third floor?

There was then a quick vote at 4:51pm, all in favor. Meeting adjourned immediately thereafter.

But it's not over...

I asked Brian Parker who the low bidder was - Diekow Electric at $258,000. No drawings for installation. No clarification to contractors from the issues I identified, nor any posed by contractors, from the Legislature.

I asked Brian if I could see the electric service. Brian said sure, and took me to the electric room. As I feared, based on the service configuration that the automatic transfer switch will need to be Service Entrance rated. Add a $20,000 change order to Diekow's price. Cha-ching, get out the checkbook.

I looked at the meter to try to get a demand reading. This is a good indication on the peak load the building has drawn. No luck. But the main building gear had an ammeter on the service.

I read the meter at 300 amperes per phase. At 480V, 3 phase the load is (300Ax480Vx1.73)/1000 = 249kVA. Assuming a 0.9 power factor, the kW load on the ENTIRE BUILDING is 225kW. Now, the time was after 5:00 pm, so much of the plug load in the building was off (computers, copiers, fax machine, etc.). But most of the lights were on, and the mechanical systems were still running.

What does it mean? Even if there was 75kW in additional load that was off, the load of the entire building is only 300kW.

Why spend taxpayer money for a generator that is nearly twice as large as it needs to be?

Why not spend $10,000 on a consultant to get an appropriately designed system and save $75,000 in construction costs?

Why not take advice from professionals (at no cost) and try to save future tax money from expensive change orders?

Why not question or look at the original budget and question where the money above the original $180,000 is going to come from? My guess is that at the end of the generator project, the Diekow cost will be nearer to $300,000. This does not include the probable $20,000 in County labor and material.

Bottom line - this is a good $140,000 ABOVE the County's planned cost. YOU ARE PICKING UP THE SLACK for the County's gross negligence of the budget.

I have no clue. Are the Legislators Lazy? Ignorant? Indifferent?
Your guess is as good as mine.