Pole position

One hundred twenty utility poles throughout Ukiah are in the process of being replaced, according to Mel Grandi, Electric Utility director for the city of Ukiah.

[dumpcityelectric]

Let's see. We have an electric department. We have lineman. We have electric trucks loaded with equipment. But, we find it necessary to out source the job of replacing poles. Does our electric department do anything else than replace light bulbs, replace blown fuses and put event signs over State Street? Mel baby it doesn't take 10 years to be journeyman, PG&E does it in about 4 years.

[CAH]

Get rid of the poles and run the lines underground oh wait that is what city and counties do that are progressing.

[hardhat]

Well, maybe our linemen can bring coffee and donuts to the REAL linemen doing the REAL line work.

[Hank R]

A few years ago they were hanging drywall to convert a storage building at the City yard at the Airport illegally. They were breaking state law and force account rules to do it. When questioned the city attorney responded that the office work was exempt from force account law because it was part of the distribution system. CUCCAC (California Uniform Construction Cost Account Council) went out a dug up the people who wrote the exemption language to verify the intent – The city attorney was proved wrong, as is often the case.

The city crews are supposed to do maintenance – not projects. If they have enough time to handle a project of this size they have too many people on the payroll. The crew that is here are geared up for this type of work. They are better, faster and cheaper at this type of work – that is why they were hired. City crews are not intended to do big projects – that is what Force Account Agreements are all about. City crews need to be familiar with the system and keep it tuned up. When big things break or there is economy of scale or the work is specialized bringing in a private firm makes good fiscal sense.

[Hank R]

Look at the fiasco we got into with the sewer department on the inspections of the sewer mains and laterals when we got sued and lost to Ricer Watch. The City bought a truck, trained the crews, and the truck broke. Then they got a new truck and more training. Years past and the inspections were not getting done and without knowing where the problem areas were Rick Kennedy prevented the repair work from progressing till we got a look at the entire system. Had we just hired a crew who had a truck to inspect the system we could have the report and done the work without wasting time and money staffing up for a one time project and buying equipment that we didn't need to own or maintain.

[hard hat]

Give me a break. Get our "Slims" off there dead butts and do just one pole a week. In a little more than two years they would be done. But no, we have to hire out. Ukiah has the equipment but I guess the real lineman experience is lacking with our banner stringers. I guess with anything over a 30' climb they're too scared.

[Watcha Know]

I agree with Hard hat. They should be able to replace a pole in one week. Save the money for something else.

[hard hat]

Watcha Know wrote:

I agree with Hard hat. They should be able to replace a pole in one week. Save the money for something else.

Keep in mind it doesn't take a week to pull and stack a new pole. You can easily do one in a day. That leaves Ukiah "Slims" four days to do their goofing off and banner stringing.

[Doc Watson]

You guys ALL sound like whiners ..... must be union.

[hard hat]

Doc Watson wrote:

You guys ALL sound like whiners ..... must be union.

Not whiners, it's workers, you should try it sometime.

[Watcha Know]

I agree Hard Hat, I was just giving them time to joke and smoke and still get the job done. Don't worry, our rates will go up here shortly, and things are going to get ugly. I think it is time to cut the waist in the City Offices, and I am not talking police or Fire. I see so many people standing around doing nothing in and out of those offices. They buy cars and things we should not be putting out money for now.

[The Trurh]

The rate of progress in this county is staggeringly slow! How can these people be allowed to keep there jobs if they get nothing done.

If this where phoenix for example the state street repair would have been done RIGHT in a month!

[David]

Of course the project should be out sourced. Giving the bureaucrats a project of this magnitude (replacing a power pole) is incomprehensible. They'd turn us all into crispy critters within the year.

[Alibaba]

Do your due diligence. PG&E is a 3 year apprenticeship. 10 years makes a well rounded competent lineman.If you were a line worker you might be able to have a more informed opinion.

[Alibaba]

More misinformation.Get a clue. If you understood better what it takes to run any utility, you would understand that there's a whole lot more to it than meets the uninformed eye.

[hard hat]

Alibaba wrote:

Do your due diligence. PG&E is a 3 year apprenticeship. 10 years makes a well rounded competent lineman.If you were a line worker you might be able to have a more informed opinion.

Ukiah's Utility Director said 10 years to be a journeyman. That may be true for Ukiah's linemen because of their lack of experience, heck they still hotstick and have no rubber glove training. As for PG&E they are very much well rounded linemen well before the five year mark. They hot glove, tower and vault work not to mention helicopter lift. Sorry but Ukiah is weak across the board.

[Alibaba]

Nope,ask ANY seasoned journeyman (15 years +)and they'll tell you you're just a glorified apprentice taking the check.You're off base and your inexperience shows.

[hard hat]

Alibaba wrote:

Nope,ask ANY seasoned journeyman (15 years +)and they'll tell you you're just a glorified apprentice taking the check.You're off base and your inexperience shows.

Nope, it just looks like your protecting your turf.

[Alibaba]

Nope, my turf is the surf.

[hard hat]

Alibaba wrote:

Nope, my turf is the surf.

First it was 10 years to be a journeyman, then it's 10 years to be a well rounded lineman, then it's 15 years to be well rounded lineman, and now I have found out that I have been blogging with sun bleached surfer boy! I give up, you win, I'm going to go burn a pole after this:) I'm changing my name to splinter butt.