Parks contracts, Rhee firings in council cross hairs
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
November 3, 2009
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The D.C. Council on Tuesday will act to temporarily stop all transfers of money to the D.C. Housing Authority and to subpoena witnesses tied to millions of dollars in questionable contracts issued by the independent agency without legislative review.
Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. has two emergency resolutions on the agenda related to the $83 million in contracts awarded by the DCHA for parks and recreation projects, none of which was reviewed by the council. Thomas, chairman of the parks and recreation committee, said Monday that the mayor’s office’’s “steering” of those deals to firms with close ties to Mayor Adrian Fenty was “just government at its worst.”
“My interest is to stop these contracts, but we must first look at the ramifications,” Thomas said during a briefing on the legislative meeting.
City Administrator Neil Albert told the council last week that the Fenty administration has been “very aggressive at moving these projects forward quickly.” DCHA, he said, has brought a “nimble and efficient system” of design, permitting and construction.
Thomas’ two resolutions would authorize his committee to investigate the contracts, subpoena power included; to stop all transfers of money to DCHA for 90 days; and to require that the council is notified of most parks and recreation transactions in excess of $25,000.
The resolutions come as the relationship between the legislative and executive branches continues to fall apart.
Council Chairman Vincent Gray used his Monday briefing to again chastise D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee for her “chaotic” firing of 226 teachers and 122 support staff six weeks into the school year, and for the revelation that Rhee ignored the council’s order to halve summer school slots in favor of the layoffs.
The council is eyeing an audit of the school’s budget, Gray said, and he wants the teachers rehired — at least those with good evaluations. Court action also is a possibility.
“We do leave open that option,” the chairman said.
During a hearing Thursday on the issue, the council learned that DCPS had an anticipated $12 million shortfall in fiscal 2010, which it kept secret from the council and Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi during the budget development process. Gray called on Gandhi to fire Noah Wepman, the schools’ chief financial officer.
“We ought to change the person who’s over there,” Gray said.
Council requests for Gandhi» List of all contracts awarded by independent agencies since Jan. 1, 2007, that exceed $1 million but were not seen by the council.
» List of all contract modifications of $1 million-plus since Oct. 1, 2008, not transmitted to the council.
» List of all grants issued by any executive agency since Oct. 1, 2008.
mneibauer@washingtonexaminer.com
