Last week, the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) sought bids for the Wrentham renovations. DCAM is now projecting that the project will cost $1.8 million — some $200,000 higher than initially projected. Although the administration claims that closing Fernald will save money, we believe this $1.8 million is one of many costs that were not factored into that savings projection.
We requested the feasibility study in an effort to learn more about that potential Wrentham renovation cost. In August, DCAM refused our request for the study, arguing that it wasn't complete.
Early last month, Public Records Supervisor Alan Cote upheld DCAM's refusal to provide the feasibility study. This despite the fact that the actual design for the renovations had been completed by that time, according to the director of the Wrentham Center. Feasibility studies precede design under the state's construction bidding rules.
Cote's decision was apparently based on a November 30 email from DCAM's deputy general counsel, stating that DCAM and DDS were holding “ongoing discussions…as to whether 'the building [slated for renovations at Wrentham] can be used' for the contemplated purpose.”
Cote stated that the state's Public Records law exempts documents from disclosure that relate to ongoing policy deliberations. But the law also states that the exemption does not apply to “reasonably completed factual studies or reports.”
We thought Cote's decision was a poor one because it was apparently made only on the basis of DCAM's assertions. Cote's staff attorney never talked with us about the case. It also appears the attorney never verified the claim that the buildings in question might not be used for “the contemplated purpose;” and he does not appear to have reviewed the feasibility study to determine whether it really was incomplete.
Now that DCAM is seeking bids from contractors, we don't see how the agency can argue that it is still discussing the purpose of the renovations. So, we've resubmitted our Public Records request for the original feasibility study.
Your guess is as good as ours as to whether DCAM will now release it.
I believe I have heard that a couple of times before. During a meeting in the first week in October, we were told the project had been put out for bid and anticipated signing contracts the following week. I think when your made you last post on the subject they were putting it out to bid then. So has it really been put out to bid? Unfortunately I don’t think we will ever get the information. They will come up with some other ridiculous excuse for not providing the information.
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p>Apparently no one knows what the real story is of whats happening at Wrentham yet I got an early Christmas present from the DDS in the form of a letter pressuring me to begin the planning for my relatives move to Wrentham. You have to love these people. They don’t know when the project will be completed, certainly not in the next two weeks, but found it necessary to ruin my holidays again (it has become an annual tradition) as they were making preparations to enjoy theirs.
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p>Scrooge is alive and well and is employed by the Commonwealth of Mass.
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p>2. If government does not place its top priority on protecting those who are totally unable to protect themselves, then the very purpose of government has failed.
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p>3. If there truly is such an energy as “Karma”, then the Karma of these actions will, in one fashion or another, undermine those who are taking these dishonorable actions.
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p>4. And, folks, “we can pay now, or we can pay later” – there IS no free ride and actual costs will be paid. In a way, this may be what “Karma” actully means.
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p>Just as failing to pay living wages, failing to provide solid education leads to costs in the criminal justice system and the prison system, failing to care for the weak and disabled in an honest way only defers expenses and renders the lives of the disabled less tolerable.
Until last week, there were no bid specs available; and we may ask for them now that the project has gone out to bid. We thought we’d start by asking for the feasibility study because it is the basic conceptual document for the project.