Friends,
Our latest trip to Austin have produced the following results:
Report from Randy Hopman, TXDoT
1. Gateway Signs – A letter agreement was executed between the Village and TxDOT to include construction of two Gateway signs in the IH 35 construction contract on December 31, 2012. This work will be performed in the fall of 2016 by James Construction Group.
2. TxDOT Waco District has had multiple discussions with your engineer, KPA on the sewer line permit. It will be immediately.
3. Both Terry and I have visited with James Construction Group about routine housekeeping within the IH 35 project limits. JCG reported they have been cleaning the area of debris and it was looking better already. Additionally, TxDOT authorized JCG to mow areas of weeds and tall grasses. They have agreed.
4. Terry has requested a traffic control review team to ensure all proper signage, striping and markings are in place. This review is being scheduled.
5. We met with Mike Killgore. President of JCG this week about the continued unacceptable slipping of the schedule. TxDOT requested JCG to develop alternatives to regain time on the schedule. Mike is in the process of submitting alternatives to TxDOT for consideration.
6. I am continuing to investigate options for Main St. and will report progress to the group.
The meeting with Randy Hopman and Terry McCoy was 3 hours long with much straight talk. James Bass, Executive Director of TXDoT came in for part of the meeting.
This meeting was not in Vain. TxDoT executives desire to come to Salado in the near future. We are looking forward to their visit.
VR/Skip
Mr. Mike Kilgore isn’t capable of telling us any date that’s reality based off their past performance and the dysfunctional management overseeing the process. It’s rumored the old PM is doing the schedules and it’s alleged that that guy is either suffering from substance induced mood disorder, crazy, or braindead which makes anything provided from him unreliable. The only schedule we’ll believe is the one TxDOT says is reliable without all the escape language clauses used when something isn’t taken into account or purposely omitted from a recovery schedule.
ReplyDeleteWe’ve heard about their qualified personal fleeing because of the temper tantrums, arrogance and stupidity of their management so for us it’s says we shouldn’t expect anything different but just more of the same. It is also no secret amongst their industry that most of the James Construction Group’s management team is continuing the storyline line thinking hoping we are all just as naïve as the PSC executive branch is for believing their storybook excuses used.
For there to be slippage on the schedule the schedule must first be accurate and take into account the entire project. This schedule should cost and resource loaded. The schedule should also include 100% of the latent defects listed or known, unskilled and untrained personal, subcontractor’s available work forces, reaming quantities by shift by crews, cure times, forming systems, form liners, remedial/corrective actions items, corrective action quality control measures, work-plans, and historical weather patterns. James Construction Group executive team can continue with absurd storyline, we don’t believe a word being said. The proof is in the pudding and their final work product.
When the site manager reports are at 95% complete without the MOH or Mobilization payments and the working days balance revenue and time, then we’ll believe them. Most of us have succumbed to another 1 ½ years before the project is really completed.
We overhead the manager to the north last week talking about Mr. Ira Sweet going back to Oregon so before he leaves, you might ask him to stop by and ask him for his 2-cents since he’s was the only professional and truthful manager that never lied to us or told us a fairytale story line. We'll believe you when he or TxDOT tells you the truth. We don't believe a word that this group says based off their performance to-date.
TxDOT doesn’t need to agree to mow the project or keep the project clean. That is the responsibility of the contractor to do their basic housekeeping, keeping the entire project up to common decency safety standards. It’s no wonder we the rumors about their horrid safety record and the amount of equipment damage rumored to be in the millions upon millions. James Construction Group's managers must really be that stupid to think everyone else is as naïve and gullible as the PSC executives are for believing their excuses further justifying the self-inflicted problems.
ReplyDeleteAny acceleration better not include changing or modifying the contracted stages or sequences. That is what messed up our roadways in the first place. The project bid was designed that contained very specific traffic flows and traffic patterns; those traffic control plans worked and took into account the entire community and what we expected to be built. The $3M being requested isn't near enough money to off-set the damages or the reputation of the wrecks and public safety liability we face daily. The amount of monetary damages we’ve incurred overall won’t really ever be known until the tax base fully recovers from the impacts.
ReplyDeleteThey need to work on completing the areas opened and fix all the latent defects. The latent defects as we understand could be quite lengthy. They need to follow the contract stages and traffic flow sequences and stop making a mess.
Most everyone of us are fully aware of contentious relationship TXDOT has with their managers along with their inability to accurately plan the work and do the work in strict accordance of the contract. It’s all well known throughout the industry that TxDOT is doing more of a babysitting service to help get the project done and mitigate the problems.
The contractor bid the project like everyone else did. Now they need to build the project as contracted including the quality of work. Had the other bidders that bid the project thought they’d get away with restaging and re-sequencing the work, the low bid more than likely would’ve been Williams Brothers and we wouldn’t be suffering like we have been.
We fully expect TXDOT to enforce every term of the contract including the quality of the work and in strict conformance of the contract. It is our money that we paid to have the work completed as contracted. We expect every dollar spent is verbatim to the contract. If we don’t demand them to follow the contract, we’ll become enablers. We’ll be setting a precedence for others to follow where the contract means absolutely nothing. That isn’t what low bid means and we don’t want any more schmucks to invade our taxes to further desecrate the system.
We need to be supporting TXDOT and their consultants and give them our seal of approval.
The old saying goes, you get what you pay for. This proves to be true by what we don't occurring. Low Bid isn't always best choice but that is the system.
ReplyDeleteWe fully support TxDOT. We know the industry believes in the contract being enforced and expects everyone to follow. We hope TxDOT flexes their strength and teaches this group one very expensive lesson that sends a clear message that ripples throughout the industry, don't mess with TxDOT. If you bid TxDOT work, you will follow the contract or suffer the earned consequences. The contract isn't vague or ambiguous, play by contract you bid or don't play at all.
Everything that isn't in compliance of the contract better be fixed or brought into compliance of the contract. From what we've overhead from their employee's about the non-conforming work and the time it will take to make those corrective actions, we sure hope this is being discussed and put into the schedule. We don't want TxDOT to waiver on the quality of the work or allow non-conforming work to remain until a later date only to disrupt again. That wouldn't be fair to the other bidders that didn't get the work or us as taxpayers. As we see it, the more money TxDOT deducts, we as taxpayers benefit. With the enormous amount money that PSC pays their executives and James Construction Group's executive team and local managers, there isn't a single reason TxDOT shouldn't be holding this company 100% accountable as contracted to follow.
It’s very hard to imagine TxDOT or any other agency ever having to beg a contractor follow the contract in order to even get the simplest stuff done. Who would ever think that a company of any size would have to be told by a government agency to keep up their housekeeping and the basics done?
ReplyDeleteA sad state of affairs it is these days when a contractor’s personal can’t think and has to be told by the government what to do or read the contract. It’s no wonder their industry is suffering and projects can’t be completed timely amongst the many other horrid issues that this group appears to cherish.
James Construction Group can take their sweet time. We should be demanding quality not quantity of work performed.
ReplyDeleteSome of us throughout the community and a few of their competitors actually do enjoy watching these clowns’ flush millions upon millions of dollars down the good ole toilet bowl. It's like a few of the managers from other companies were speaking about a lunch, it’s better to contain the clowns working for James Construction Group than screw-up elsewhere. Now they are contained to the I-35 corridor, the good work is coming up to bid on or get selected on the up and coming design build projects.
Anyways it's good to know TxDOT and their teams are doing an excellent job watching out for our taxes.
Ira buddy we wish you well! Don't be a stranger and should you ever come back out to Texas, come on by and say hello and enjoy a few cocktails.
ReplyDeleteftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cmd/cserve/distinfo/cisrpts/001507065.pdf
ReplyDeleteftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cmd/cserve/distinfo/cisrpts/001506071.pdf
ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cmd/cserve/distinfo/cisrpts/001514091.pdf
ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cmd/cserve/distinfo/cisrpts/001504067.pdf
ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cmd/cserve/distinfo/cisrpts/001502048.pdf
TxDOT is doing a great job keeping James Construction Group contained to the I-35 corridor. By the looks of their horrid low monthly estimates, as a taxpayer we should hope TxDOT holds this contractor’s management team accountable. Keep on deduction the RUC and liquidated damages so we are being reimbursed for impacts. It’s better to have James Construction Group’s management contained to the I-35 corridor than them personally entering into the market desecrating even more work.
The estimate for our Village says to me that they aren’t close to be done and when we add in the defective work, I tend to think we should expect this work to last well into 2017 if not beyond. We are expecting TxDOT to hold them the same quality standards as everyone else by contract follows, inverts, including lines and grades, and the PCC paving cross-slopes the contract calls for.
Sayonara to the JCG arrogance known throughout. It’s hard to swallow that PSC actually pays their management that are knowingly and willingly desecrating PSC down to the cesspool status.
ReplyDeleteImmediately following the Troy traffic switch, instant mass lay-off occurred. The carrot stick used by management to keep the personal around was just another one of Rick’s fairytale stories.
As a parting gift, upon further review on the TxDOT website bidder’s lists and list of awarded contracts, it is evident who isn’t bidding on new projects or being awarded projects. Chasing that carrot stick isn't something anyone should ever do or believe.
Mayor the family thoroughly enjoyed the Village and met some great people. You’re heading down the right pathway keeping the pressure up and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Have faith in TxDOT and their teams, they are honest and good people that actually do care. The contract will prevail and your hard earned taxes being used to build the project won't be thrown down the toilet bowl like the peeps relish doing with PSC's free money.
We are grateful Mr. Joey Williams and his dedicated teams are doing the bridges. It will be a sad day if the rumors flying around are true that others are courting the remaining few good ones left. It must be very difficult on them to work around the likes of what we see occurring up the corridor. What a disaster.
ReplyDeleteIt must be nice having that much disposal cash to throw away and allow what we've see occurring on their projects. Zero accountability must be a Wall Street enabling thing because anyone with private money wouldn't ever allow such to continue. We hope the Village gets relief.
I couldn't believe what I saw when I drove out to see the talk of the industry. The I-35 corridor through this companies projects are the sorriest looking projects I've ever seen. Some people clearly take no pride in their jobs or they just don't care about the client or public. Utterly shameful and gives our industry a bad name. It's sad to see that the industry allows this to occur and fallen to new lows. Thank god this group contained. I would hate to be one responsible selling the job. I saw a lot of work that our owner wouldn't ever allow to remain in place or be done if this were one of our projects.
ReplyDelete"JCG reported they have been cleaning the area of debris and it was looking better already. Additionally, TxDOT authorized JCG to mow areas of weeds and tall grasses. They have agreed."
ReplyDeleteWell whoever is overseeing the project and the other projects seen from the Interstate evidently nobody really understands what a contract means or entails or overall worker safety. In my life I've never heard of anyone ever asking the governments permission to keep anything clean or safe for their workers. Anyone with a half a brain would know how to read to read a contract and follow that instrument verbatim to what the four corners of the pages mandate of all parties. By what I've witnessed over the course of the last couple of years the people running that Mickey Mouse operation clearly has more money than common sense. This will go down in the construction history books as one the worst nightmares we the taxpayers suffered through by the time this group is done.
Every time we drive down through the I-35 corridor we are disheartened with the issues TxDOT must face daily working around the schmucks from James Construction Group.
ReplyDeleteWe are amazed what TxDOT and their teams have to tolerate and put themselves through trying to keep that group in compliance of the contracts and for keeping our traveling public safe.
We've done a lot of work throughout Texas and I must say, many of us talk and none of us has ever witnessed a company of any size be so disorganized. The shear volume of poor quality we see on their work must be awful stressful on everyone. We do have to commend TxDOT and their teams for being so patience and for keeping up the good work. We are grateful they are looking out for the taxpayers best interest and making sure our taxes aren't being further wasted.
Keep up the good work. Don't let anyone break your spirits.