Fletcher's Last Minute Change Orders for Highways 61 & 90

[KY Dave]

FRANKFORT, Ky.-- Transportation Secretary Joe Prather is reviewing a change order that former Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration made in its final days that added nearly $11 million to a Cumberland County highway project.

On Dec. 6, then-Highway Commissioner Marc Williams approved the order, which significantly expanded the work required under a state contract with L-M Asphalt Partners and Gaddie-Shamrock to widen and improve Ky. 90 and Ky. 61 in Cumberland County.

The order justifies the change by stating "Cumberland County has been one of the most dangerous counties in the state for highway fatalities" and that the additional work will help to "begin to reverse this trend and provide economic development opportunities for the region."

Cabinet records show that L-M Asphalt and Gaddie-Shamrock are partly owned by Leonard Lawson, of Lexington, and his family. And people affiliated with the two companies gave at least $99,000 to Fletcher's failed re-election campaign.

The order added $10,882,532 to the contract, increasing its total by 20 percent, to $64.7 million.

"Secretary Prather can't comment about this at this particular juncture because it's still being reviewed, and he wants to have a very complete understanding of the matter," said cabinet spokesman Chuck Wolfe.

Neither Marc Williams nor former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert returned phone messages left at their homes yesterday. Also, Lawson did not return phone messages left at his Lexington office.

Sen. Ernesto Scorsone, the Lexington Democrat who oversaw the Beshear administration's transition team in the Transportation Cabinet, said he was unaware of the large change order.

"It's highly suspicious, and I think it needs to be scrutinized very carefully," he said, after hearing about it.

The order was the largest of 35 change orders totaling nearly $17.4 million approved by Transportation Cabinet during the last week of the Fletcher administration, according to records obtained by The Courier-Journal under the Kentucky Open Records Act.

A 2005 study of nearly 3,000 change orders for the previous three years showed that only 45 were for more than $1 million -- and only one was larger than the $10.88 million change order approved Dec. 6.

The project is in the home county of Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville. Williams did not return a phone message left at his offices in Frankfort and Burkesville.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...

[KY Dave]

The late change order contrasts with the Fletcher administration policies to reduce the number and size of such orders.

A Transportation Cabinet news release after the 2005 study said Fletcher administration reforms had greatly reduced change orders and saved taxpayers $51 million.

"We have a clear process to evaluate change order requests based on their merits," Nighbert stated in a news release. "The Commissioner of Highways must approve each change order. Additionally, for the first time ever, both the construction and design divisions must agree that the change is needed."

But the large change order in Cumberland County, and one other among the final 35 changes, were signed only by Highway Commissioner Williams. The other 33 were signed by Williams and the state highway engineer and the deputy state highway engineer.

Change orders are modifications to highway contracts that normally require additional work and increase the cost of the contract.

Generally they are prompted by problems arising during construction that weren't foreseen at the time the contract went to bid.

But the change order for the Cumberland County project instead added improvements to the original contract.

The project was one of 10 in which the cabinet used an experimental "design/build" process where teams of road contractors and highway engineers jointly submit proposals to both design and build the project. The intent is to complete projects in less time.

The original contract called for straightening dangerous curves, adding a passing lane, realigning an intersection and shoulder improvements for Ky. 90 and Ky. 61 -- all with the goal of improving safety.

The change order adds improvements -- including eliminating three dangerous curves -- along an additional 1.7-mile stretch of KY 90, and says "This additional work and change order were recommended by the KY Transportation Cabinet Secretary's Office."

Cabinet records show that L-M Asphalt Partners is a partnership of two corporations: L-M Holdings Inc., the general partner whose chief executive officer is Leonard Lawson, and CR Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Rock Mineral Co., another Lexington highway contractor.

Cabinet records show Gaddie-Shamrock LLC, of Columbia, is owned by Leonard Lawson's son Steven Lawson, Roy Beard, Doug Beard, Charles Herman, Patrick Judd, and trusts in the names of Steven Lawson's children,

Owners, officers, employees of Gaddie-Shamrock and Central Rock Mineral and their affiliated companies were among the very biggest contributors to Fletcher's re-election, giving at least $53,000 to his primary election campaign and another $46,000 to his general election, according to a review of campaign finance records filed by the Fletcher campaign.

People affiliated with the same companies gave $4,000 to Beshear's primary campaign and $33,500 to his general election campaign.

[could be]

I'm chuckling. From city, county, state and Federal election levels money is always an underlying factor isn't it? I'm not singling any party out, it's just part of politics. I suppose you could extend this to elections and dictatorships around the world, it's part of acquiring a position of power and wealth.

Thanks Ky. Dave

[Knott head]

In other words the roads will probably never get built?There is alot of money that will be distibuted,wonder who all will get there palm greased off of this, if it does go through?I thought all along that this was a reelection scheme and I still think so!

[well]

We can kiss any money goodbye for Cumberland Co. We've seen the last road improvements for this County for a long time. All you people that was looking for those big bucks from the State cause they were taking your land, you gonna have to wait a looooooooooooooggggggggggg time now. Mark my word. We're sh*t up a creek with out a paddle.

[KY Dave]

Maybe it's a good thing for people in Cumberland County. Maybe not. It's hard to say at this point.

I didn't read anywhere it said the roads wouldn't be worked on, did you?

But it looks like at least the corruption will be stopped (if there was corruption at all), so that is good for all tax payers.

[Knott head]

What else should the people of Cumberland County expect,it's a republican county.The way the new Governor will look at it is that it would be throwing good money out for bad results,or good money after bad money.This will seperate the men from the boys,let's see how our great Senator handles this?

[JJ KIdd]

Knott head wrote:

In other words the roads will probably never get built?There is alot of money that will be distibuted,wonder who all will get there palm greased off of this, if it does go through?I thought all along that this was a reelection scheme and I still think so!

I would say that Democrat cronnies will most likley have a windfall of State Funds comming their way soon. Another four years of the same old crap you guys have been piling on the Repulicans for. I would love to see a country where the partisanship bull would end and elected officals would work for the people, instead of their own party and special interest groups. Should a County that voted for the other party's candidate be punnished? Maybe if the new Administration would be "fair and balanced" with the folks around here, they might carry this area next election. Excuse me for that bit of hope, but it won't happen.

[well]

KY Dave wrote:

Maybe it's a good thing for people in Cumberland County. Maybe not. It's hard to say at this point.
I didn't read anywhere it said the roads wouldn't be worked on, did you?
But it looks like at least the corruption will be stopped (if there was corruption at all), so that is good for all tax payers.

Read between the lines. It don't take a rocket scientist to figure out where this is going.How can it be good for Cumberland Co. No more nothing for CC from the state.

[A Better Tomorrow]

This kind of smells like Clinton's final list of presidential pardons. Wonder how Mark Rich is these days? O well with the Dems in charge now, everything will be on the up and up so what's to worry about.

Am I surprised? Are you surprised? Is any body surprised? Kind of like the first snow storm of the season. Much is made of the "I can't believe that this is happening to us" and then we wake up and see it all melting away. The sun comes up and the grass grows, just like before. Has anything really changed other than Dave will be defending the crap coming out of Frankfort instead of complaining about it. It will be interesting to watch.

[could be]

A Better Tomorrow,

Here it goes again, blaming a past president for the present. Did you read in yesterdays paper about Bush's grants for amnesty? Crack users, government abusers etc etc. I'm going to let that crap pass on by me for the moment. I'm going to work on what I can do to keep our new administration on the up and up. Obviously Fletcher was awful about things like granting amnesty before anyone was even indicted, that was almost humorous, but when you think about it not humorous at all. He was the worst example of state corruption all over the country, and criticized by everyone Repubs and Demos. That will be a hard act to follow and give a larger image of corruption in government.
I hope Ky Dave and all of us have something more positive to say about our new administration. Ky is famous for crooked politics, just look around CC.

[A Better Tomorrow]

So do I. I am all eyes and ears to see if anything changes.

No one is blaming anything on past presidents, just referencing the last act of all of them before that final curtain comes down. Shoot them all. Jokingly I have advocated for a very long time, that each year when Congress and the Senate come back from the end of year break, that we ought to select a few from each body and shoot them. The idea is to make sure they really want to be there and have a purpose other than to rape and steal from the people. I have the lowest of low opinion of just about all politicians. The name alone brings a smell like rotting meat. The good news is that this system is still miles better than anywhere else in the world. We somehow need to break the cycle of rape and pillage by politicians just like we need to break the cycle of the welfare society. Both are a plague!!

[could be]

hear hear!!! Shoot, hmmmmm, isn't that too quick? Yep, just a plague. Almost everyone of them think once they've been elected, that they belong in chariots. Uhhh, I remember when the police rode around in the Biscayne not the super duper nascar painted roadsters. They should ride in comfortable and safe cars, but this is getting ridiculous. And the leather, fancy all vacations paid for politicians make me want to, get sick. Royalty, big bucks enter the picture, lavish living and fine dining. I'm all for the election process, just not the way it works now. One of the things that irks me is the way the national elections are done. Win one states delegates, get em all. And MOST of all, a president isn't elected by popular vote......, isn't that nuts???
Welfare cheats, not welfare recipients, wreck a system that if used properly would well serve a need.

[bugged]

One last thanks to good ol" ERNIE for screwing us out of much needed road repairs. Way to go sleeze bag. And by the way DAVID I hope your lexus blows a tire every time you go thru the sawmill cut.

[A Better Tomorrow]

You mentioned that a major flaw in our election system for president, is that it is not decided by a popular vote. I disagree and here is why.

Think US Senate vs the House of Representatives. States are allocated congressman based on their population. The more populated states like California have the most seats. The lesser populated states have fewer. The Senate which is considered by most historians of US government as the premier body, gives all states the same number of Senators. As a result states like Ky, Wyoming, and Montana have an equal voice in the passing of Federal laws. Our presidential election would operate much like Congress if the winner was decided strictly by the popular vote. Win California, New York, New Jersey, and a few other heavily populated states and the rest of the country does not matter. The people in Kentucky would have nothing to say in the process as our small population represents an insignificant number of votes. Ky and 15 other states could vote a clear majority for a candidate but that candidate would still lose if his opponent carried the "big" states. The last election I think was the first election where someone won the popular vote but lost the election. In considering that you also need to look at the map of red and blue states which represent whether they voted a majority for either Rep's or Dem's. While the popular vote was close and even won by the Dem, the country is by a large majority republican.

Regardless of your politics, you have to agree that all areas of the country deserve a voice. Without the electorial college, Kentuckians and citizens from many low population states might as well not vote. Think the candidates would spend any money except on the East and Left coast? All there money would follow the population.

Know do you still want a popular vote to decide the President?

[A Better Tomorrow]

In my last post, I didn't want to give the impression that all states have the same number of electorial votes. They don't. California has 55 and Ky has only 8 or 9. New york has 31, Texas 34, Fla 22.

Winning a state generally gives those electorial votes to the winning candidate. Win Fla and you get all 27 of their votes. Win ky and you get all of our states votes. This is true even though the winning candidate might have only gotten 51% of the vote. The end results of the electorial method is that the majority voice of each state determines the outcome. In a strict popular vote, all you have to do is win a few big states with a majority and the margin there would wash out the voice of the people in the smaller states.

[KY Dave]

Well, I don't see this as an end to funding for the Highway 61 & 90 projects.

I see it as a closer look at the book keeping being done and to whom the money is being passed out.

Maybe I'm being optimistic in thinking that the projects will continue, but I don't see how anyone can make that judgement yet. Not from the public statements made by the politicians so far.

I'd be one of those receiving money from the state taking part of my farm to relocate the road. But, in all honesty, I'd just as soon they didn't take it and I never had to deal with it. I would rather have my place the way it is than to get the money they would give for it and then have everything tore up for 3-4 years around here.

I think the relocation of the highways and improvements would help the area, but then again, a lot of my neighbors will lose their homes.

So, I feel strongly both ways. lol

Which side do you want me to take in this arguement?

[KY Dave]

ABT,

I don't think you're following Could Be's idea.

It would be popular vote for the entire country. It wouldn't matter if CA & NY voted for one party. The people of KY would have their one vote each, just like the people in those states. Nothing could be more fair!

The Senate and House could remain as they are and the smaller states would still have the representation when it comes to laws.

What this would do, is remove the tampering with districts that is now done. By changing district lines before an election, the party in power can alter the outcome of the election.

I see nothing wrong with using 'popular vote' for President, in fact, I favor it too.

[could be]

ABT,

Yeah, read Dave's post again. I think you're arguing against yourself. I'm real busy right now, I'll be back later.

[bugged]

read article about Williams sought change for 61& 90 - theres more to story than just pure politics