09-17-2008, 11:59 AM
Isn't it interesting that something like a $4500 grill can spark an investigation by the city manager, but the only thing he can do for the P.D. is attempt to show who's boss around here (slides, shell games, and shenanigans)? We can't even get people who are deserving of firing FIRED...much less teaching them how to work the S.D.O. or remove their sergeant stripes from their uniform on their first day back as a slick sleeve. After reading the story and noting the "morale booster" for the motor pool, ask yourselves how much morale we have due to Chief's constant support of us grunts on a continual daily basis. At least we can all be assured that we have no worries about being fired for ANYthing.
Tight budget times
Fancy Grill Has City in Hot Seat
Lakeland city manager orders inquiry into Fleet Management's custom-built barbecue that cost, at minimum, $4,569.
By Rick Rousos
THE LEDGER
Published: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 12:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 12:10 a.m.
LAKELAND | A plan in one city department to build employee morale - with a custom-built, taxpayer-financed $4,500 grill - is going up in smoke.
PROVIDED TO THE LEDGER This grill, built by the city of Lakeland's Fleet Management to the tune of at least $4,569, is raising a lot of eyebrows throughout the city.
click to enlarge Tom Blanke
click to enlarge Brad Lewis The fabricated metal for the fancy grill for Fleet Management, formerly called the Motor Pool, was priced at $2,500. City records show two Fleet mechanics, Rick Bell and James Bates, spent a combined 92 hours in January welding and assembling the grill at a labor cost of $2,069.
That makes the cost of the grill, at minimum, $4,569.
"We can't keep parks open, and we can't pay police, but we can afford a $5,000 grill?" City Commissioner Justin Troller asked when interviewed about the grill Monday. "Maybe there's a good explanation for spending that much for a grill when you can get a good one for under $200. I just can't imagine what it is."
The grill at Fleet, headed by Tom Blanke, became a recent topic on the city's intranet site, available only on city computers. A source told The Ledger he anonymously posted comments and a picture of the grill on the city site.
City Manager Doug Thomas said he has ordered an investigation, which is being conducted by Chuck Gerhart, an investigator from the city's Human Resources office.
"This raises questions in my mind," Thomas said. He said the investigation will determine whether the grill was bought with city money and whether it was built with city labor.
City accountants have identified three invoices totaling $2,500, all dated Feb. 7, from Samson Metal & Machine in Lakeland for three parts for the grill. Supervisors from the city's Finance Department said an accountant from Fleet Management identified the three invoices as being for parts for the grill.
A city purchasing card was used to buy the parts. City policy says purchases on those cards cannot exceed $1,000, and "charges for purchases shall not be split into multiple transactions to stay within" the $1,000 limit.
Of the three charges, one was for $940, and the other two were for $780 each.
Each of the three invoices is marked as being for something other than parts for a grill. One says it's for a plate for a trailer floor, one a plate for a 2001 Dodge truck floor and the third a plate for a 2003 Ford truck floor.
The invoices were signed by Brad Lewis, a Fleet foreman paid $58,718 per year. Lewis used his city purchasing card to pay the $2,500 in invoices, city records show. Blanke, the manager of Fleet Management, signed off on those transactions.
Abuses of purchasing cards can result in firing, according to city policy.
Kevin Cook, the city's public information director, said Lewis and the two mechanics who pieced the grill together all declined to speak to The Ledger.
Blanke, 55, who is paid $86,736 per year, declined to answer questions from The Ledger, but he did read a prepared statement.
"My record with the city of Lakeland speaks for itself," Blanke said. "The incident is being investigated by the city of Lakeland Human Resources (Department), and I am confident that the facts will come out."
In an e-mail to his bosses, Blanke wrote that the grill was built before budgetary problems became a reality. He said the grill is available for use by all Public Works employees as well as other city departments.
"The grill was built by in-house staff and no vehicle repair delays were incurred because of it," Blanke wrote. He said that at first glance, the cost may seem high but "the appreciation lunches have greatly boosted morale."
Workers from Fleet, speaking only on the condition they not be named for fear of reprisals, said the grill idea was Blanke's. They said Lewis, the foreman, and the workers who pieced the grill together on city time did so at the direction of Blanke.
But a high-ranking city official, also speaking without wanting to be identified, said Blanke came up with the "team building" idea of a grill only as a vague concept, but the workers he supervises ran with it to the point where "it took on a life of its own."
The City Hall official said Blanke wanted to send the metal parts back to the vendor but couldn't do so because they were custom made.
The city has identified the three metal grill parts totaling $2,500, but it reported that other parts used in building the grill must have already been at Fleet.
"We can find no other record of parts being purchased that stand out as being bought to build a grill," an accounting memo said.
That leaves in question who paid for other parts on the grill, including two shiny smokestacks and a dog ornament, each item similar to what can be seen on a Mack truck.
Gerhart declined to say how long his investigation may last.
[ Rick Rousos can be reached at rick.rousos@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. ]
Tight budget times
Fancy Grill Has City in Hot Seat
Lakeland city manager orders inquiry into Fleet Management's custom-built barbecue that cost, at minimum, $4,569.
By Rick Rousos
THE LEDGER
Published: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 12:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 12:10 a.m.
LAKELAND | A plan in one city department to build employee morale - with a custom-built, taxpayer-financed $4,500 grill - is going up in smoke.
PROVIDED TO THE LEDGER This grill, built by the city of Lakeland's Fleet Management to the tune of at least $4,569, is raising a lot of eyebrows throughout the city.
click to enlarge Tom Blanke
click to enlarge Brad Lewis The fabricated metal for the fancy grill for Fleet Management, formerly called the Motor Pool, was priced at $2,500. City records show two Fleet mechanics, Rick Bell and James Bates, spent a combined 92 hours in January welding and assembling the grill at a labor cost of $2,069.
That makes the cost of the grill, at minimum, $4,569.
"We can't keep parks open, and we can't pay police, but we can afford a $5,000 grill?" City Commissioner Justin Troller asked when interviewed about the grill Monday. "Maybe there's a good explanation for spending that much for a grill when you can get a good one for under $200. I just can't imagine what it is."
The grill at Fleet, headed by Tom Blanke, became a recent topic on the city's intranet site, available only on city computers. A source told The Ledger he anonymously posted comments and a picture of the grill on the city site.
City Manager Doug Thomas said he has ordered an investigation, which is being conducted by Chuck Gerhart, an investigator from the city's Human Resources office.
"This raises questions in my mind," Thomas said. He said the investigation will determine whether the grill was bought with city money and whether it was built with city labor.
City accountants have identified three invoices totaling $2,500, all dated Feb. 7, from Samson Metal & Machine in Lakeland for three parts for the grill. Supervisors from the city's Finance Department said an accountant from Fleet Management identified the three invoices as being for parts for the grill.
A city purchasing card was used to buy the parts. City policy says purchases on those cards cannot exceed $1,000, and "charges for purchases shall not be split into multiple transactions to stay within" the $1,000 limit.
Of the three charges, one was for $940, and the other two were for $780 each.
Each of the three invoices is marked as being for something other than parts for a grill. One says it's for a plate for a trailer floor, one a plate for a 2001 Dodge truck floor and the third a plate for a 2003 Ford truck floor.
The invoices were signed by Brad Lewis, a Fleet foreman paid $58,718 per year. Lewis used his city purchasing card to pay the $2,500 in invoices, city records show. Blanke, the manager of Fleet Management, signed off on those transactions.
Abuses of purchasing cards can result in firing, according to city policy.
Kevin Cook, the city's public information director, said Lewis and the two mechanics who pieced the grill together all declined to speak to The Ledger.
Blanke, 55, who is paid $86,736 per year, declined to answer questions from The Ledger, but he did read a prepared statement.
"My record with the city of Lakeland speaks for itself," Blanke said. "The incident is being investigated by the city of Lakeland Human Resources (Department), and I am confident that the facts will come out."
In an e-mail to his bosses, Blanke wrote that the grill was built before budgetary problems became a reality. He said the grill is available for use by all Public Works employees as well as other city departments.
"The grill was built by in-house staff and no vehicle repair delays were incurred because of it," Blanke wrote. He said that at first glance, the cost may seem high but "the appreciation lunches have greatly boosted morale."
Workers from Fleet, speaking only on the condition they not be named for fear of reprisals, said the grill idea was Blanke's. They said Lewis, the foreman, and the workers who pieced the grill together on city time did so at the direction of Blanke.
But a high-ranking city official, also speaking without wanting to be identified, said Blanke came up with the "team building" idea of a grill only as a vague concept, but the workers he supervises ran with it to the point where "it took on a life of its own."
The City Hall official said Blanke wanted to send the metal parts back to the vendor but couldn't do so because they were custom made.
The city has identified the three metal grill parts totaling $2,500, but it reported that other parts used in building the grill must have already been at Fleet.
"We can find no other record of parts being purchased that stand out as being bought to build a grill," an accounting memo said.
That leaves in question who paid for other parts on the grill, including two shiny smokestacks and a dog ornament, each item similar to what can be seen on a Mack truck.
Gerhart declined to say how long his investigation may last.
[ Rick Rousos can be reached at rick.rousos@theledger.com or 863-802-7514. ]