Holy cow. GA perused through the HHA's October 20, 2012 Meeting Minutes and here are a few observations based on what transpired at last weeks' HHA meeting.
1--FIRE ALARMS & MAINTENANCE
At the October 2012 meeting, HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia announced "we are awarding the contract for fire alarm panel and maintenance services to Total Fire Safety (TFS) to maintain al of our fire alarm panels, controllers and lines."
In late January/early February 2013 Hoboken Fire Department's Chief Blohm found SIX buildings with NO fire suppression, no working fire panels, no generators...
Chief Blohm found these egregious safety violations 4 MONTHS after Garcia announced the Fire Protection contract was being awarded to TFS.
How does the Executive Director explain this? When did the TFS contract start? Why were SIX building left with no fire protection? Did TFS report any of these problems to the Executive Director? Why didn't the ED know the generators weren't operational? What happened to the grant the HHA received after Hurricane Irene to raise the generators?
As for the political stunts at the last meeting- had an unprotected buildings gone up in flames, maybe Beth Mason would have put out the fire with valentine chocolates or 'Jake's a Meanie t-shirts? Stunning.
GA is wondering, if the contract was awarded in October why was the fire protection non-operable in SIX buildings, why no working fire panels- and no working generators 120 days later?
2- ELEVATOR WORK
At the February 14, 2013 meeting, the Executive Director said blogs were posting "misinformation" about the $385K contract. (He claimed we'd posted this contract was for "one" elevator- not true, take a look) He then outlined a scope of work for the $385K- it was for 10 elevator cabs: floor replacement in AMPS 3, Fox Hills, Adams Gardens, Monroe Gardens, Harrison CCG, 220 Adams AND other work in AMPS 1 & 2 demo and installation of the cab walls, the controllers and the wiring.
Okay... well, two things. First, the HHA reported to HUD in 2011 that the $385K in funding for the "replacement of elevator cab floors" was "expended" and the status of work "complete." It doesn't say when the work was performed- probably in 2010.
If controllers and wiring, etc. were part of the $385K flooring contract "complete" and 100% paid for in 2010 or 2011, why is Robert Merlo, the President of GS Elevators telling the HHA on October 20, 2012 about vintage, out-dated controllers in senior buildings which "are going to need to be addressed" (future) and an ongoing controller replacement in one car at 221 Jackson and the need to "go out for bid" on the second car.
The controller work is either incomplete presently or hasn't gone to bid yet. There is no indication that this was part of the $385K- unless invoices can be produced which tell otherwise.
And the demo and replacement of elevator walls the Executive Director discussed-there is no indication that was part of the $385K contract- unless invoices can be produced. Here Merlo talks about future demo and wall replacement to "start... in the next couple of years."
And more work in the future- changing 'spring closures' to 'spirators' at somewhere between $8-$12K per building ("Marshall, Harrison, Jackson").
So...
GA wonders why the current and future elevator work was presented in the discussion of what was covered under the completed $385K contract, along with the directive not to pay attention to the "misinformation" on the blogs.
1--FIRE ALARMS & MAINTENANCE
 |
| HHA Meeting Minutes- October 20, 2012 |
At the October 2012 meeting, HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia announced "we are awarding the contract for fire alarm panel and maintenance services to Total Fire Safety (TFS) to maintain al of our fire alarm panels, controllers and lines."
 |
| HHA's Fire Protection contractor |
Chief Blohm found these egregious safety violations 4 MONTHS after Garcia announced the Fire Protection contract was being awarded to TFS.
How does the Executive Director explain this? When did the TFS contract start? Why were SIX building left with no fire protection? Did TFS report any of these problems to the Executive Director? Why didn't the ED know the generators weren't operational? What happened to the grant the HHA received after Hurricane Irene to raise the generators?
As for the political stunts at the last meeting- had an unprotected buildings gone up in flames, maybe Beth Mason would have put out the fire with valentine chocolates or 'Jake's a Meanie t-shirts? Stunning.
GA is wondering, if the contract was awarded in October why was the fire protection non-operable in SIX buildings, why no working fire panels- and no working generators 120 days later?
2- ELEVATOR WORK
At the February 14, 2013 meeting, the Executive Director said blogs were posting "misinformation" about the $385K contract. (He claimed we'd posted this contract was for "one" elevator- not true, take a look) He then outlined a scope of work for the $385K- it was for 10 elevator cabs: floor replacement in AMPS 3, Fox Hills, Adams Gardens, Monroe Gardens, Harrison CCG, 220 Adams AND other work in AMPS 1 & 2 demo and installation of the cab walls, the controllers and the wiring.
Okay... well, two things. First, the HHA reported to HUD in 2011 that the $385K in funding for the "replacement of elevator cab floors" was "expended" and the status of work "complete." It doesn't say when the work was performed- probably in 2010.
If controllers and wiring, etc. were part of the $385K flooring contract "complete" and 100% paid for in 2010 or 2011, why is Robert Merlo, the President of GS Elevators telling the HHA on October 20, 2012 about vintage, out-dated controllers in senior buildings which "are going to need to be addressed" (future) and an ongoing controller replacement in one car at 221 Jackson and the need to "go out for bid" on the second car.
The controller work is either incomplete presently or hasn't gone to bid yet. There is no indication that this was part of the $385K- unless invoices can be produced which tell otherwise.
 |
| HHA Meeting Minutes- October 20, 2012 |
And the demo and replacement of elevator walls the Executive Director discussed-there is no indication that was part of the $385K contract- unless invoices can be produced. Here Merlo talks about future demo and wall replacement to "start... in the next couple of years."
 |
| HHA Meeting Minutes- October 20, 2012 |
And more work in the future- changing 'spring closures' to 'spirators' at somewhere between $8-$12K per building ("Marshall, Harrison, Jackson").
So...
GA wonders why the current and future elevator work was presented in the discussion of what was covered under the completed $385K contract, along with the directive not to pay attention to the "misinformation" on the blogs.
its a money pit..
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