Forget the foolish focus on “who” will be the new “Mayor Daley.” This focus on the what that goes on with each action and contract cuts to heart of the City’s problems. The wink and then the no bid contract to the friend, political ally, or somebody’s relative. It is not nickle and dime’ing us, it is dooming us.
The last page of the contract (the one with a signature over the line marked “Mayor”) has a stamp on it that says, “Term Agreement/ Depends Upon Requirements” (that’s what “DUR” stands for). “Depends Upon Requirements” seems to be a magic phrase that allows all sorts of important things to get done without having to re-do contracts.
Now, I’m not being a smart-aleck here. Traffic control is incredibly important– it saves lives. And as far as I can tell, based on my experience jetting around the area and watching traffic barricades (a leftover from a stint working with the Chicago Department of Transportation on street obstruction compliance), these guys do a great job providing equipment.
It’s just that this looks like an example of a very common phenomenon of city contracting. Once you get a contract to do something, it’s really easy to keep doing the work and get paid. Sort of like being elected.
via To All You Mayoral Candidates: Primer on City of Chicago Contracting: Derivative Works (DXO).
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Barbara K Iverson 