You may have seen this story Thursday in The Ledger: CSX Battle Drained State of $44 million Quite a chunk of change. I’ll let Joe Follick’s story discuss the merits of spending that money in advance of a big project. I’m more interested in who you and I paid to do what over the last few years. I’ve posted a list of the specific recipients of money below.
To me, the line item that stands out most among the millions is the comparitively small $265,561.01 MyRegion.org received for “public relations and outreach.” [They paid them the 1-cent. How on earth was that calculated, by the way?] Remember, MyRegion is a sort regional chamber/planning organization that basically thinks of Polk County, a member county, as an open field.
Can anyone tell me what “public relations/public outreach means” in this context? I know that MyRegion sponsored regional cheerleading/lobbying trips to Tallahassee in both 2008 and 2009. Was state tax money used to help a private organization lobby the state legislators ? If so, is that legal?
And did MyRegion use any of that money to pay employees? Did any of it end up in the pocket of MyRegion leader and SunRail cheerleader-in-chief Jacob Stuart? Joe? Aaron? Dan? Anbody? Those seems like intriguing questions. Oh, and by the way, former Sentinel editorial writer Marianna Ingborg Amberg Gurnee pulled in a cool $138,580 for “public relations/public outreach.” That was money well spent, eh? Sunrail’s messaging was just exquisite.
Anyway, here’s the full list of companies/organizations to receive state money for CSX/Sunrail work:
Shutts and Bowen
- Since March, 2006
- $1,715,258
- Legal counsel to FDOT to provide real estate legal services for CFCR
Fletcher Sipple (includes work by Bruce Smith)
- Since February, 2006
- $494,798
- Legal counsel on rail matters and legal services for CFCR
John Bottcher
- Since January, 2006
- $365,346
- Legal counsel on rail matters
URS Corporation
- Since July, 2004
- $1,903,110
- Grade separation/ rail relocation and program management activities for CFCRT
Carter & Burgess
- Since March, 2007
- $282,322
- program management activities for CFCRT
CH2M Hill
- Since August, 2006
- $520,316
- CFCRT technical and management activities
EnviroTrans Solutions, Inc.
- Since July, 2004
- $1,436,820
- CFCRT program management services
Golder Associates
- Since September, 2007
- $91,682
- CFCRT risk assessment services
MAG Solutions
- Since January, 2008
- $295,272
- CFCRT public involvement and administrative services
Nick Serianni
- Since July, 2004
- $165,021
- CFCRT negotiations, insurance and liability issues, cost allocations and financial plans
PB Americas
- May, 2006 – December, 2008
- $924,788
- Graphics and animations, technical specifications, procurement issues
PB Consult
- June, 2005 – December, 2008
- $509,953
- Governmental relations, coordination, and strategic planning
WRS Environmental Services
- Since October, 2006
- $2,600,000
- Environmental assessment services
Planning Innovations
- Since July, 2004
- $778,478
- Review of technical documents, strategic planning, negotiations, coordination with FTA, financial and environmental analyses
National Constructors Group
- November and December, 2006
- $33,451
- Constructability reviews, RFP review for design/build portion of project
PB Americas
- Since August, 2008
- $185,012
- Chief Operating Officer services
HDR Engineering – Contract C8188
- 9/1/2006 – 11/28/2008
- $330,368.29
- District-wide planning & public transportation services
HDR – Contract C8Q25
- 9/22/2008 – 3/31/2009
- $32,219.49
- Commuter rail planning support
AECOM – Contract 8949 – Regional Transit System Model
- 10/30/2003 – 1/31/2009
- $1,034,036.84
- Ridership modeling for the CFCRT project
EarthTech – Contract C8D18
- 11/14/2004 – 1/31/2009
- $10,056,039.28
- Prime consultant, civil engineering, PD&E, preliminary, final design
Sub Contractors to EarthTech (all services between 11/14/04 and 1/31/09):
Asyst Consulting
- Website
- $29, 815.83
James R. Bockstall
- Signalization Analysis
- $163,000.00
Bowyer Singleton
- Survey, mapping, legal descriptions
- $1,464,214.99
Data Transfer Solutions
- Public Relations videos
- $79,712.32
Dix, Lathrop & Associates
- Landscape architecture analysis & plans
- $300,571.96
Echezabal & Associates
- Survey, mapping
- $852,789.13
Geotechnical and Environmental
- Geotech services
- $937,801.54
Helman, Hurley, Charvat & Peacock Architects
- Architectural services
- $948,404.14
Jeffery A. Parker
- Financial Analysis services
- $307,941.25
Jones, Wood & Gentry
- Survey, control survey, mapping, legal descriptions
- $1,283,308.50
Lochrane Engineering
- Survey, utility coordination, underground utility, design
- $3,424,213.81
Vanasse, Hangen and Brustin
- Civil / Drainage Engineering
- $2,578,357.64
Systra Consulting
- Operations planning
- $1,111,811.68
Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin
- Public relations on environmental assessment
- $338,413.18
KM Chng Environmental
- Environmental services
- $209,312.36
Keville Enterprises
- Cost estimating services
- $43,311.26
Dovetail Consulting
- Transit operations services
- $62,565.09
Luke Transportation
- Traffic Operations services
- $76,075.41
Nick Serianni
- Financial Analysis
- $8,605.58
Archaeological Consultants
- Archaeological services
- $90,826.29
CSX Transportation
- Rail safety inspections, flagging, signal maintenance services
- $461,779.25
CANAC
- Rail services
- $45,000.00
Aerial Cartographics of America
- Aerial photogrammetry
- $509,842.77
Buchheit Associates
– Survey services, mapping, legal descriptions
– $336,962.09
Phillip J. Mason
- Transit operations services
- $ 57,141.76
Steve Krone
- Video
- $17,962.50
Pecora & Pecora
- Public relations
- $118,380.76
Marianna Ingborg Amberg Gurnee
- Public relations / public outreach
- $138,580.00
GPI Southeast Inc.
- Survey, mapping
- $354,590.26
Dyer, Riddle, Mills & Precourt
- Utility surveying, mapping, utility coordination
- $1,477,499.28
Southeastern Surveying & Mapping
- Utility survey and mapping and utility coordination
- $1,485,913.29
Miller Legg & Associates
- Survey and mapping
- $231,894.33
Zeta Tech Associates
- Operations planning
- $18,026.56
First American Title Insurance Co.
- Title search services
- $3,000.00
TLC Engineering for Architecture
- Electrical and plumbing engineering
- $163,033.00
McElroy Engineering
- Structural engineering
0A
- $195,472.00
MyRegion.org
- Public relations / public outreach
- $265,561.01
Bio: Billy Townsend was a longtime government, political and general assignment reporter in Polk County and the wider I-4 corridor. He wrote extensively about Polk's unique regional identity and the issues shaping it, including USF Polytechnic, the Heartland Parkway and the CSX rail deal. Billy recently left professional reporting to take a corporate writing job, but he keeps close tabs on news of all stripes (especially political news) and the changes in modern journalism. Billy's wife is Julie Townsend, executive director of the Downtown Lakeland Partnership.They live with their three children in the Lake Morton area. His work at Lakeland Local is his first as an amateur hyperlocal writer.
Angry Citizen
7 months ago
Yep, and the scum bags aren’t through yet. I sure hope every voter remembers come November 2010. CSX will just be starting construction at Winter Haven so at least some voters there will be reminded when the dust starts blowing through their windows and doors.
Sundance
7 months ago
This is very important to expose this information for the citizens. This was a crime against the taxpayers. Thank you for reporting on the waste and the ridiculous amounts of money that was paid out. These recipients were riding a gravy train. Continuing to shed light on the deal is the only way to fight it. They are being silent and hoping that the opponents will too. They want our opposition to die.
Charlie
7 months ago
Billy, maybe Commissioner Gow Fields can tell us what we (taxpayers) got for that quarter of a million $$$$. He is on their board of directors and I think on their executive committee.
Angry Citizen
7 months ago
Come on Charlie, Gow would never do anything to harm his fellow Lakelanders but it is interesting just how much outside “legal advice” FDOT paid for. I wonder why? Do you think Gow might know that, too????
FDOT’s inside chief legal counsel showed up at every Senate or House hearing and virtually every public meeting venue. So they must have needed cover from something.
Run Paula Run, and put some substance back in the Governor’s chair. And let’s elect a good Attorney General that will get to the bottom of this taxpayer scam.