Comments on Advance Indiana™: Republican Council Approves $16 Million IT Contract With Shaky Company, Vaughn Abstains Due To Conflict

Cronyism and corporatism at work in the Beurt Serv...

2010-06-29T15:46:47.769-05:00

Cronyism and corporatism at work in the Beurt Servass Assembly Room, CC Bldg., on another Monday night. Thanks to Crazy Larry Vaughn for the ridicule of our rulers present at that session, taking money from him and us, and giving it to their favored.

Jon, I would say it's because Councillor Vaugh...

2010-06-29T12:27:30.734-05:00

Jon, I would say it's because Councillor Vaughn can later say, "Oh, I recuse myself if there's a conflict of interest. Look at Zannett." He's playing the odds that no one will call him out that he neglected tp recuse himself on the Great Water Company Giveaway.

Thank you, Christine Scales. Closest person there...

2010-06-29T11:49:18.586-05:00

Thank you, Christine Scales. Closest person there is on the Republican side to someone that hasn't sold-out. I'm glad my councilman Vaughn recused himself. But, at this point- why bother? It would be a hell of a lot more entertaining, and probably not as corrupt, to have my representation from the Vaughn with the paper hat.

So why did Vaughn recuse himself from a vote on a ...

2010-06-29T10:11:43.921-05:00

So why did Vaughn recuse himself from a vote on a 16 million contract but not on the water company deal which is hundreds of millions of dollars? His firm represents Veolia. Apparently a conflict isn't a conflict if the money is right.

Good for Ryan Vaughn. He did the right thing this ...

2010-06-29T09:02:53.817-05:00

Good for Ryan Vaughn. He did the right thing this time.

Here's what the City's press release said ...

2010-06-29T07:26:08.179-05:00

Here's what the City's press release said about those MBE/WBE subcontracts:

Also, in keeping with the City-County‟s minority business goals, Zanett is partnering with several local Minority, Women and Veteran-Owned Business Enterprises (MBE/WBE/VBE). Local firms ENTAP, Sondhi Solutions, CSCI Consulting and PME will provide specialized implementation services as part of the project.

Not sure which of those companies Ryan Vaughn's firm represents. The firm isn't registered to lobby for any of them.

This company we are talking about used to be local...

2010-06-29T07:10:29.921-05:00

This company we are talking about used to be locally-owned Onex, which was owned by Joe Huffine and Sally Huffine Breen. They sold Onex to InRange, a New Jersey company, that later became part of a bigger New-York based company Zanett. I don't know how David Reynolds could have reviewed Zanett's financial situation and concluded it posed no risk to taxpayers on this deal. There must be insiders with a financial stake in this company that is pushing this contract real hard for the city to take such a risk with our money, either through stock ownership in it or through an ownership in one of the subcontractors. If Reynolds is so smart, he would have never dismissed the company's financial stability in rating it against others competing to win this contract. I would note that the city bragged about the company's use of MBEs/WBEs as one of its decisions for awarding it the contract. How in the hell Ballard ever came to the conclusion that the people elected him to see how many MBE/WBE contracts he could award is beyond me, but that has become a bigger emphasis by this administration than any previous administration. The MBE/WBE set-asides simply corrupt the entire contracting of government products and services. Many of these companies are set up by insiders who take a minority interest in them simply to steer work to them and make money. Some of them operate as mere pass-through companies.

>>The guy is totally stupid. I'd take ...

2010-06-29T02:22:52.446-05:00

>>The guy is totally stupid.

I'd take him over Pfisterer any day, the town hall meetings where he spoke impressed me. I've know Bob Lutz for many years and am really disappointed in him. Funny how politics is a cesspool that newcomers swear to change, but once elected they decide it's a sauna.

Ryan Vaughn is a walking, talking conflict of inte...

2010-06-28T22:05:19.463-05:00

Ryan Vaughn is a walking, talking conflict of interest.

I'll bet you a steak dinner, Matt, that Crowe ...

2010-06-28T20:54:08.744-05:00

I'll bet you a steak dinner, Matt, that Crowe Horwath is the driving force behind this contract. They were always pushing this sotware system off on the state of Indiana. These people think David Reynolds knows what he's talking about. The guy is totally stupid. He's twice as bad as Bob Clifford was as city controller. He's only doing what it takes to get him a big six-figure paying job when he leaves his city job just like Clifford did when he landed his job at Umbaugh & Associates, that winning consulting firm that convinced the water company to covert those 30-year bonds to variable rate bonds and wound up costing us at least $60 million.

If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Why does...

2010-06-28T20:44:37.371-05:00

If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Why does the city need this IT service? And if it does need it, why is a failing company the best bang for our bucks?