ABSTRACT: During Appearances at the City Council meeting, August 7, 2007, Carmelite Carl Roetter, Paige Johnson Design, Inc., stated that the “Memo” written by Steve McInchak, City’s Information Systems/Network Manager, was "full of errors and it was full of very slanted information.” And “it’s embarrassing to the city to produce a report like that, it’s embarrassing to the community for Council to then vote on that staff report which was so full of errors and so poorly produced.” City Councilman Gerard Rose expressed his desire that the item “be brought to the Council once again on the next calendar and with an amended staff report.” However, as City Administrator Rich Guillen later stated, “They’ve, we’ve signed the contract with anda/burghardt."
City Council Agenda
Regular Meeting
August 7, 2007
VI. Appearances
Anyone wishing to address the City Council on matters within the jurisdiction of the City and are not on the agenda may do so now. Matters not appearing on the City Council’s agenda will not receive action at this meeting but may be referred to staff for a future meeting. Presentations will be limited to three (3) minutes, or as otherwise established by the City Council. Persons are not required to give their names, but it is helpful for speakers to state their names in order that the City Clerk may identify them in the minutes of the meeting. Always speak into the microphone, as the meeting is recorded on tape.
During Appearances, Carmelite Carl Roetter stated, as follows:
“Madam Mayor, Council, City Administrator. Carl Roetter, Paige Johnson Design. Thank you Don for your comments. After the Memo from Mr. Steve McInchak that made it very clear that Paige Johnson Design did not have any of those capabilities, we received some unfortunate calls from clients, and it was, since all of that was clearly outlined in our proposal to the city, it was unfortunate to see that those many errors in the Memo from Mr. McInchak. Unfortunately, it was that Memo that was full of errors and it was full of very slanted information, upon which council made its’ decision. It was the staff report that council voted on. And that was just pulled, I understand, from the Consent agenda, but I would wonder if Council and the City Administrator would consider going back and looking again at that staff report. It certainly did not come up to the quality of the kind of work that our staff does, it’s embarrassing to the city to produce a report like that, it’s embarrassing to the community for Council to then vote on that staff report which was so full of errors and so poorly produced. So, I guess I’m just requesting that the City Administrator pull that staff report, bring it back to council this time, perhaps a little better done. Thanks.”
Immediately after Carl Roetter spoke, Michael Batori stated, as follows:
“At last meeting, I spoke on that very subject, asking that I felt that the information that was being presented and that City Council members spoke on the fact that they didn’t want to go against staff recommendation which I felt they didn’t understand and there were inaccuracies. I also think that it should be revisited because of the fact that there were inaccuracies that the Council was making decisions on. Thank you.”
After the close of Appearances, during deliberations on Consent Calendar items, City Council Member Gerard Rose stated, as follows:
“As to D. I am troubled that we are being asked to agree to a contract that we concede was grounded on an erroneous staff report. And as much as I hate to postpone this kind of thing, because I think it is very important, I would prefer that it be brought to the Council once again on the next calendar and with an amended staff report.”
To which City Administrator Rich Guillen later responded, as follows:
“Plus, based on the Council’s action, you approved moving forward with Anda/Burghardt, They’ve, we’ve signed the contract.”
NOTES:
Carl Roetter, Former Community Traffic Safety Commissioner
PAIGE JOHNSON DESIGN, INC.
Graphic Design and Web Services
Telephone: (831) 625.0480
Fax: (831) 625.2079
Email: carl@pjdesign.com
http://www.pjdesign.com/
Steve McInchak, Information Systems/Network Manager
CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
INFORMATION SERVICES
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR MCCLOUD AND COUNCILMEMBERS
THROUGH: RICH GUILLEN, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
FROM: STEVE McINCHAK, IS/NETWORK MANAGER
DATE: 26 JUNE 2007
SUBJECT: AWARD CONTRACT FOR WEB SITE DESIGN
Selected excerpts, as follows:
RECOMMENDED MOTION
Adopt Resolution authorizing the design of a new City website and award the contract to anda/burghardt.
DISCUSSION
Our website should be new and fresh and easy to use capitalizing on new technology and programs that are now available in website design. The bidding process resulted in 3 bids;
Flying Cow Design Studio $61,490
Paige Johnson Design, Inc. $24,700
anda/burghardt $30,000
Staff recommends anda/burghardt with a bid of $30,000. Although the bid submitted by Paige Johnson Design, Inc. was lower, video production and integration can not be provided by the firm. This service is an important component of the proposed website and the value of the service will ultimately exceed the cost differential between the two quotes.
COMMENTS:
• Steve McInchak’s Staff Report for the “design, production and maintenance of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Web Site at domain ci.carmel.ca.us” contract mischaracterized the proposal submitted by Paige Johnson Design, Inc. As a result, City Attorney Don Freeman corrected these mischaracterizations with his comments at the August 7, 2007 City Council meeting. The bid submitted by Paige Johnson Design, Inc. then was lower than anda/burghardt and included video production and integration.
• All of the City Council Members, except City Councilman Gerard Rose, expressed no qualms or regrets about their previous deliberations and decision on the city web site design contract based on an erroneous, inaccurate and biased staff report on Paige Johnson Design, Inc.
• In short, not only was this process indicative of an incompetent and biased city administration, it was illustrative of a city council without an ethic of accountability to the public.
REFERENCES:
City Council Agenda
Regular Meeting
August 7, 2007
VII. Consent Calendar
These matters include routine financial and administrative actions, which are usually approved by a single majority vote. Individual items may be removed from Consent by a member of the Council or the public for discussion and action.
D. Consideration of a Resolution entering into a Destination Marketing Agreement with Jeff Burghardt, President, Anda/Burghardt Advertising, Inc. for Economic Revitalization and Destination Marketing services in an amount not to exceed $60,000 for Economic Revitalization and $125,000 for Destination Marketing.
City Council Agenda
Regular Meeting
July 3, 2007
X. Resolutions
A. Consideration of Resolution to award a contract in an amount not to exceed $30,000 to anda/Burghardt for the design, production and maintenance of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Web Site at domain ci.carmel.ca.us.
B. Consideration of a Resolution authorizing the City Administrator to enter into a consulting agreement with anda/burghardt for the position of Economic Development and Marketing Director in an amount of $60,000 annually.
City Council Minutes
Regular meeting
July 3, 2007
X. RESOLUTIONS
A. Consideration of Resolution to award a contract in an amount not to exceed $30,000 to Anda/Burghardt for the design, production and maintenance of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Web Site at domain ci.carmel.ca.us.
City Administrator Guillen presented the staff report. Information Services Manager,
Steve McInchak, answered Council questions.
Mayor McCloud opened the meeting to public comment at 6:25 p.m.
Michael Batori addressed Council.
At 6:26 p.m., Mayor McCloud closed the meeting to public comment.
Council Member ROSE moved approval of a Resolution to award a contract in an amount not to exceed $30,000 to Anda/Burghardt for the design, production and maintenance of the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Web Site at domain www.ci.carmel.ca.us., seconded by Council Member HAZDOVAC and carried by the following roll call:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: HAZDOVAC, ROSE & TALMAGE
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: CUNNINGHAM & McCLOUD
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
4 comments:
Three possibilities:
a) Carmel staff reports are full of inaccurate info
b) Steve McInchak is an incompetent staff report writer
c) Political pressure was brought to bear on Mr. McInchak to write a report to further a predetermined result eg. awarding of contract to anda/burghardt
And what peninsula city government is a laughingstock?
My sense is there is a pervasive attitude on the part of Carmel council members to function as a mayor's cabinet. Of course, that is not their supposed function. But, alas they do. Their abdication of autonomy is astonishing and extremely disappointing.
It is difficult to know if this occured because of incompetence, which the city administrator is known for as are some of the more recent city hires, or if the fix was in to hire a predetermined provider, which has appeared to happen before, but in this case it is certainly, at least, one more example of a city administrator and council that are failing to do their job properly. There will probably never be sufficent evidence to determine if this was another case of misfeasance or malfeasance but it was almost certainly one or the other.
In the past city council members have generally gone along with mayor McCloud's program on important issues or been forced off the council e.g. Livingston, Cunningham and arguably Bethel. Is this another such case? It will be interesting to see if the two newest council members will get along by going along or be willing to make up their own minds and really do the job they are supposed to do rather than the job the mayor hopes she appointed them to do.
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