How many Lies does it take to Light an LED streetlight in Ludington?

[shinblind]

Fantasy

page 9 of 79

"...approved the purchase of 34 new 60 watt Lumecon streetlights at a cost of $29,920. Councilor Castonia explained that after having several LED street lights installed in the downtown area on a successful trial basis, the Downtown Board has approved the purchase of 66 new 60 watt LED streetlights..." 

"Each street light will cost $880."

34 +66 streetlights = 100 street lights

100 x 880 = $88,000

http://ludingtoncitymi.minutesondemand.com/Document/32c3ba09-bd16-e...

Reality

page 29 of 328

"New downtown LED streetlights were purchased, the City Council approved during the year but not budgeted in the amount of $35,000."

page 30  of 328

DDA  Operating Fund

"Expenditures increased  $68,000 due to installing the new LED streetlights in the downtown.

http://ludingtoncitymi.minutesondemand.com/Document/7526ac3b-5be2-e...

$35000 + $68,000 = $103,000 committed  expenditures

                             - $88,000  fantasy expenditure

                               $15,000   difference

So why 7 months after they were installed does it cost $15,000 more for the 100 street lights than we were lead to believe?

Cost Overruns?  Kickbacks?  Pocket Grease?  Is this where the "con" in Lumecon comes from?

[XLFD]

I don't have the answer to that question other than this was being done by Ludington's DDA and John Shay.

I hope you don't mind me adding screen shots of the relevant parts of those voluminous packets, shinblind, so that the reader can see the article and the packet at the same time.

[shinblind]

That is an improvement X. Feel free to add anything that you believe would enhance the information. 

[AQUAMAN]

I can just smell the start of another FOIA request in the air right now. Another denial to release the records via Shay with council approval, and then another appeal to Alvarado to confirm the denial of information, and reject the appeal. From there it goes to court as per the usual. Or does it for one brief moment? Can they even grant the release on this information for once in a blue moon? I doubt it.