Fact-check run around
To the editor:
At a recent Council Meeting the City Manager stated that Burton & Associates had a patent on the type of financial substantiality analysis on the Charter School System that he contracted for at a cost of $27,788 on Feb. 2! He never did an RFP, nor did he approach the Clerk of the Court to do this analysis for far less money.
Subsequently I requested the Patent number in a public information request. I received a plain piece of white paper with words typed on it but no patent number. There was no heading or signature on this paper. I then requested via a public information request as to who authored the statement I received.
Following this I received an email stating that it was a copyrighted document. Then I was told that an attorney authored the statement.
The city manager then informs of the following: “the Assistant City Manager Mike Ilczyszyn said it is his understanding that Mr. Burton had that information come from his firm’s attorney.” (Actually it came from MWH, the CM was wrong again)) “Please let Ms. Rosko know that if she has any further questions regarding this request, Assistant City Manager Ilczyszyn would be happy to speak with her personally.”
Whenever an attorney puts anything in writing they do, in fact, sign it and it is on their letterhead!
As noted, I am told I would have to call the assistant city manager to get answers to my questions. I persisted stating that I wanted the answer in writing. All to no avail. The city manager makes statements’ at Council Meetings and then refuses to back up those statements!
I did finally receive a series of emails from the assistant city manager that really did not explain the situation other than the fact that the city manager did, in fact, give false information to the mayor and Council in response to my statement during Citizens Input, verified in an email from Mike Burton dated Feb. 10.
It is further noted that all subsequent responses that were sent to me by the assistant manager came for a woman at MWH! This is a company that the city severed ties with a few years back and now the current city manager has them back doing work for the city!
At last night’s meeting, Mike Burton gave an explanation how he was still the same company that the city had been dealing with. If that is so then why did MWH Consulting respond to my probing questions in emails on the referenced patent and not Burton and Associates, or Stantec, as they are now known??? MWH, Burton and Associates and Stantec are all one in the same under the same corporate umbrella!
Shameful of the city manager to say the least! The city manager should not be making up his so-called facts to justify his actions to the Council!
Just tell the truth Mr. Szerlag!
Lynn Rosko
Cape Coral