QuoteA Jacksonville firm whose owner hosted a campaign event for Mayor Donna Deegan in January has won a no-bid contract worth $300,000 for federal grant-writing, lobbying and policy development after the city determined no other firm in the nation could provide all those services.
The city typically requires competitive bidding, but the Professional Services Evaluation Committee recommended Deegan approve the one-year contract to Langton Consulting without seeking proposals from any other firms.
The unanimous vote by that committee came after the mayor's office said its research showed Langton Consulting is the only firm in the country that could provide all the services in the same contract — a justification that City Council member Nick Howland said "just smells odd to me."
Full article: https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2023/10/25/jacksonville-awards-no-bid-contract-to-donna-deegan-campaign-backer/71238902007/
ROFL... :o ::) ::)
Mike Langton was one of the very first investors to take a chance on the urban core, and I mean the REAL core, not the Southbank. He renovated a building on Adams Street, I want to say 112 W, but don't quote me on that street number. It was 12 apartments units over the ground retail floor, and very much a pioneer project. This was before The Carling, 11 E. Forsyth, etc.
He made a bid on the the Laura Trio in the early 2000's but the city went with a different bidder. Needless to say the bid winner did nothing with the property. He has done a considerable number of other projects in a different FL city. I can't remember if it was Gainesville or where. I think he got fed up with the run around with COJ and took his marble there.
Quote...a justification that City Council member Nick Howland said "just smells odd to me."
Talk about the kettle calling the pot black... Howland, whose nonprofit benefited from the City Council's largesse without a competitive grant process and who also supported Pittman's nonprofit on the same basis. What a hypocrite.
And, to add, his out-of-the-sunshine meetings with his fellow voting block of councilmen at a local restaurant captured by the media.
If this smells odd, he stinks up the whole city with his activities.
Are you guys now justifying what you once denounced? Please clarify as this sounds... well... hypocritical. There are unlimited numbers of comments by you... denouncing, and vilifying no bid contracts with previous administration's going back decades
This is different because she is your candidate?
I don't know what the others are saying - but my position is that the Deegan-Langton no-bid deal is a bad idea, as are the non-competitive grants to Hownand's (and others) organizations.
Opposition to non-competitive processes should not depend on who benefits, or which political party they belong to.
Also, having participated on consultant-review committees for a government agency, I know the criteria are usually subjective enough to reach whatever choice you want to make.
Quote from: BridgeTroll on October 26, 2023, 07:47:55 AM
Are you guys now justifying what you once denounced? Please clarify as this sounds... well... hypocritical. There are unlimited numbers of comments by you... denouncing, and vilifying no bid contracts with previous administration's going back decades
This is different because she is your candidate?
Did he condone or say he approved of this instance? No he did not, so that answers your question. Pointing out someone else's hypocrisy is not being hypocritical.
Quote from: vicupstate on October 26, 2023, 11:11:06 AM
Quote from: BridgeTroll on October 26, 2023, 07:47:55 AM
Are you guys now justifying what you once denounced? Please clarify as this sounds... well... hypocritical. There are unlimited numbers of comments by you... denouncing, and vilifying no bid contracts with previous administration's going back decades
This is different because she is your candidate?
Did he condone or say he approved of this instance? No he did not, so that answers your question. Pointing out someone else's hypocrisy is not being hypocritical.
Thanks Vic but perhaps you could let him answer. He may not be quite so... defensive... :)
This article is pretty stunning, but not surprising for anyone that knows how deep corruption runs in Jax
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/columns/nate-monroe/2023/11/08/nate-monroe-no-bid-contracts-stain-jax-council-mayor-and-sheriff/71501541007/
Quote from: CityLife on November 08, 2023, 04:44:39 PM
This article is pretty stunning, but not surprising for anyone that knows how deep corruption runs in Jax
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/columns/nate-monroe/2023/11/08/nate-monroe-no-bid-contracts-stain-jax-council-mayor-and-sheriff/71501541007/
It's so absurd it almost reads like parody.
QuoteCouncil members complained Tuesday that Deegan's sole-sourced contract lacked the transparency of their own no-bid awards
Thank God for Nate. I don't know if anyone else in the local media is covering this stuff.
Quote from: BridgeTroll on October 27, 2023, 06:45:36 AM
Quote from: vicupstate on October 26, 2023, 11:11:06 AM
Quote from: BridgeTroll on October 26, 2023, 07:47:55 AM
Are you guys now justifying what you once denounced? Please clarify as this sounds... well... hypocritical. There are unlimited numbers of comments by you... denouncing, and vilifying no bid contracts with previous administration's going back decades
This is different because she is your candidate?
Did he condone or say he approved of this instance? No he did not, so that answers your question. Pointing out someone else's hypocrisy is not being hypocritical.
Thanks Vic but perhaps you could let him answer. He may not be quite so... defensive... :)
All I did was trump Nate Monroe's article by pointing out what he just wrote a whole column on: Nick Howland, et al's hypocrisy. I am fine with tightening rules for no-bid contracts. Maybe more guard rails and a more transparent process are needed. Not defending any of them.
I do have the greatest concern regarding the sheriff's jail contract. There is already a huge issue with the lack of transparency with JSO's budget and now we have this. For over $500 million a year, JSO owes the taxpayers full transparency. I know from talking to JSO officers that JSO is way understaffed at the street level. Where are all of JSO's dollars going? Doing a no-bid contract to a disreputable vendor doesn't inspire confidence that our tax dollars are working as hard as they should.