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Experience

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I want to thank Sanitary Board Director Thomson for his recent letter. I couldn’t have better illustrated why my capital project experience is desperately needed on the board as an independent voice!

For example, you could only account for $2.7 million on a $3 million restroom project. You completely missed approved design/pre-construction costs. It’s sad that a 20-year director would miss this. Construction costs are $2,711,569. Design and pre-construction fees you approved are at least $229,361 for a total of $2,940,930.

The evidence in the published photos clearly shows that vault leakage was through hatches from fountain spray and local sprinklers. Even a lawyer should understand that the solution to this is properly sealing the hatches, grinding the rust and recoating the vault while relocating the sprinkler heads. Responsible boards would’ve addressed this years before it became damaging. You failed to do this despite 20 years’ experience. I guess sometimes experience doesn’t matter!

Finally, I’m shocked that you would increase public danger for your “vanity” project!

It appears you forgot why the vault equipment was put underground, even though you approved the design. As someone who’s designed electrical vaults, I can tell you that potentially dangerous equipment is put underground in vaults to protect the public from fire, arcflash and explosion. You moved an apparent electrical hazard from a safe underground vault and put it within feet of where families, children and seniors will be in restrooms. Your putting the public at increased risk, whether from board indifference or willful ignorance, helped motivate me to run.

It’s clear my capital work experience is sorely needed based on your comments. I’d be pleased to offer any technical or management guidance I can, win or lose, to prevent your faulty information from leading to bad decisions in the future.