Chicago Department of Water Management Bosses double dipping

Governor Blagojevich is on the right direction as he points to some politicians that enjoy two full time jobs, both on the public payroll. I have for quite some time brought to your attention John "Hired Trucks and Hiring Scandal" D'Amico and Rep. Luis Arroyo, both double-dipping deluxe. I have gone to The Capital Fax Blog and made many posts for years on this subject. Chicago Clout another top of the line Chicago Political website knocked this arrangement many times. John D'Amico family has a fuzzy past, mob dealings, and the Laurino family. Again, when I hear of John D'Amico, I want to watch the Godfather and watch the crime family go "legit".
John D'Amico has enjoyed favorable promotions (rigged) and a pot full of cash when he ran for office. Hired Truck companies, Unions, liquor interests, gambling interests, and other shady goons came out of the woodwork to pony up. D'Amico has his State Rep. cards printed before he won the seat. City of Chicago Department of Water Management workers worked Election Day and the precincts. In pact election officials stopped D'Amico and his brother from breaking election laws. His goons still get preferential treatment in positions and overtime. John D'Amico is a "made" man at the Department of Water Management. $165,547.00 is a nice yearly sum for two part time jobs. As Chicago City workers face layoffs, D'Amico, a caulker, told Rich Miller of Capitol Fax "[Gov. Blagojevich said] "They fear their leader, Mr. Madigan, and if Mike Madigan tells them to vote a certain way, they will tell you privately, and I've had these discussions with a couple of state reps, one of whom said, 'I'm afraid if I vote for the jobs bill I'll be fired from my job at Streets and Sanitations [sic]. I'm afraid I'll lose my job.' " […]
D'Amico said he told the governor that he has been in the union for 26 years and there's no way he could be fired over a legislative issue unless they first canned a whole bunch of people with less seniority to get at him. Rep. D'Amico said he told the governor he opposed the capital plan because Mayor Daley was against it. D'Amico told me he informed the governor that he didn't fear losing his job over the capital bill. […]
A source close to [Congressman Rahm Emanuel] confirmed everything D'Amico said."
What a great Guy! Right dudes!
Rep. Luis Arroyo is a Mell guy and I like Mell. However my sources tell me Luis Arroyo enjoy fun and games near the offices of high ranking officials at the Jardine Plant, a great place to hide people doing nothing all day. I hope to give you more information on the projects administrator-manage jobs. John Daley's secretary enjoys the apx. $100,000.00 job doing data entry and the Tadin family enjoy two of the jobs.
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People Beg in the streets of Chicago, Homeless ranks swell

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Democrats have always stood to help the little guy in Chicago. We join unions and hope to get ahead with hard work. Many people get left behind as the political forces are corrupted by gambling, corruption and criminal enterprise. I think all Chicago city employees should undergo drug testing. I mean, all employees including the Mayor and Aldermen. Mayor Daley should help employees with gambling problems. If you look at the picture you will see nice condos and vacant lots, an eyesore even in this nicer section of Chicago. This picture was taken at 3100 West Peterson; the man pictured has fallen on bad luck and begs in a wheelchair. You would think in Chicago we address these issues making sure there are jobs that pay with some self-respect. Obama made his self rather rich in a short amount of time and McCain forgets how many houses he owns. Corruption in Chicago sucks the life out of the poor and we watch those in power vacation and travel the globe. Ms. Obama made over $300,000.00 a year screwing the poor. Life is good at the top in Chicago; ask this guy what it is like beg? Let’s fix Chicago, let us forget the Olympics, vacations, partying and, vice. Photo by Patrick McDonough.

Gas main ruptured by Department of Water Management 7530 W. Devon

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When a gas main, in this case a 2″ medium pressure line is gashed, the response includes Chicago Police, Chicago Fire, and the Gas Company. These situations can turn bad in an instant. The gas main can start on fire, the trees can light up, and soon house fires follow. I am glad no one was injured during this gas main break. Some foreman were given days off for these utility hits before. Remember, safety first at the Department of Water Management. Photo by Patrick McDonough

More Chicago Department of Water Management trucks break down

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Last night I worked with an old buddy of mine, a well known foreman. We needed the Investigator crew to respond to an emergency as we popped a hole in the gas main with the backhoe. Standard procedure is to send an Investigator crew out to document the damage. It makes sense to take pictures when the bills are exchange between utility providers. I had fun teaching the Investigator on duty how to use his camera phone. Utilities are not always marked correctly and sub-contractors for the Department of Water Management should make sure this company pays when they mismark. I think the water department picks up the tab when they mess up. After the Investigator truck showed up, the truck broke down. Fleet Management could not repair it so they requested a tow. Wes Kochel Inc. showed up after a long wait. They are located in Will County, 25800 South Sunset Drive in Monee to be exact. According to Mapquest the drive from that address to 7534 West Devon in Chicago would be over an hour, about 50 miles. That is a lot of City workers waiting. I looked at the contract and they have about $800,000.00 in a DUR contract. http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/VCSearchWeb/org/cityofchicago/vcsearch/controller/vendors/disclosuresLink.do?vendorName=WES+KOCHEL+INC.#searchResults#searchResults DUR in Chicago means Depending upon Requirements (an open bid) I call them Depending upon who is running (for political office). I think Mr. Spatz the Commissioner of Water Management in Chicago (doing a much better job than those before him) should look into getting new trucks for the Department. The existing fleet is junk, and do not get tempted to lease the new trucks. (wink wink) Chicago should have a heavy duty tow truck available, I know one sits at the Central District garage at 39th and Ashland. Just have a driver hop in and off you go! And the privates are getting over a thousand a tow! Let’s save money and save our jobs. Photo by Patrick McDonough

More of Mayor Daley's MBE in action fixing Chicago Sewers

City Construction.jpg Chicago City workers are facing the ax while Mayor Daley is in Denver partying while Barack Obama is kissing Joe Biden’s wife on the lips. Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony or as the song goes. Chicago politicians were hugging and praying to God Obama gets the White House before Patrick Fitzgerald finds anymore corruption. Meanwhile I want to assure you, Chicago Clout is still uncovering corruption and waste. Yesterday I saw another one of Mayor Daley’s contractors laughing it up in the middle of the street. I believe they were doing work for Mayor Daley’s patronage heavy MBE “Hired Truck” replacement program called “Private Drain Program”. In fact one of the pictures was of the workers making a muscleman pose, a chunky older man. I hope the Chicago Taxpayers enjoys the future city worker replacement. This company enjoys a massive multi-million dollar contract doing the work that private contractors did just a few years ago. http://216.146.77.178/objGW/OMImages/888/00002JNK/IMEDGE~1.PDF The original contract was for about 4,500,000.00, but the contract was upped another 2.5 million. It sure pays to be disadvantaged with Mayor Daley. Emil Jones a former sewer inspector benefited from this arrangement. This company also gives money to elections in the suburbs; maybe Chicago had an interest in elections in Stone Park. In this picture you will see a man wearing a City of Chicago employee uniform. The Chicago Department of Water Management has given away many city vests to private companies and the persons responsible should be fired for that foul act. City Construction Company, Inc. has a group of workers laughing and joking on Chicago’s taxpayer’s dime. I asked the company who sends the work assignment over to them, their secretary said, “They just fax them over”. According to city documents Suzanne Kim handles that contract. I was told, “Charley Johnson sends the work over”, by a man by the name of Mohammed of City Construction. I called the company and asked, “Are you Union?”. She lady answering the phone said, “Not sure, I guess so”. Hired Truck Scandal was loaded with non-union companies because many got around the law by claiming to be a MBE. I hope a City of Chicago Inspector signed off on the work completed, we will find out. When the City of Chicago is going broke, how can they hand away over $7,000.000.00 in just one contract affecting the North Side of Chicago? How can a contractor be disadvantaged with millions of dollars in Chicago Taxpayer’s contracts? I guess it pays to be poor in Chicago? I also hope you go to this City of Chicago link and ask why the company is not on this list, http://www.cityofchicago.org/Transportation/contractors/ Photo by Patrick McDonough.]]> Continue reading “More of Mayor Daley's MBE in action fixing Chicago Sewers”

Mayor Daley's private (pals) contractors take more city jobs.

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Sumit Construction Company Inc. is located in Skokie, Illinois. This young man is drilling holes in the concrete for rebar. Cicero Avenue in Chicago is a mess; the road is so bad you could bite your tongue with the large potholes. I thought this was a State of Illinois controlled road but I called Sumit and they told me the work was under a contract with the City of Chicago. I must admit the young man worked very hard, but I was concerned, he was all by himself in the middle of a major road. I thought it would be nice to have other people around should he get run over. Mayor Daley should reconsider all the privatization that is costing city workers their jobs. Mayor Daley fires workers for not living in the City so how can this be legal? It defies logic! The taxpayers are not saving money having contractors and workers located outside the city limits. They are not paying for the corruption and waste, they are profiting from it. I know it helps get elections rigged in the suburbs and extents clout beyond the Chicago City limits, but it immoral. Patronage continues through the use of contractors and patronage continues in the Daley Administration every day. Photo by Patrick McDonough

Chicago City Workers Set to lose jobs to Daley's Private Contractors

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Big John’s Contractors Inc. is one contractor you will see on the Chicago public streets on a regular basis. When I worked for the Chicago Department of Water Management Central District, I found them on Ogden Avenue making sewer repairs. Now that I am back to the North District, I found them also making repairs at 3940 West Armitage. They were fixing a building sewer. I was concerned because they did not saw cut the ditch all the way down past the concrete. When they broke the concrete you can see pieces of concrete missing. I know the CDOT Inspectors have been writing up tickets for this violation. I felt sorry for these guys as they only had two workers on the job with no shoring (trench box) in the ditch. Also, Big John’s is located in Westchester, Illinois, a long ride for these suburbanites to drive every day. Chicago City Workers are facing layoffs and Mayor Daley’s patronage army is allowing contractors outside the city to take our work. Did a Chicago Inspector check this job? This company is not a signatory contractor with Plumbers Local 130. Journeyman’s Plumbers Local 130 has a reported 700 members out of work, a record high. I did not see a permit on the property so I assuming this is part of Mayor Daley’s sewer program. I called the Department of Water Management to get some information and they seemed incapable of handling the task. The man that answered the phone at 744-7001 told me to call procurement at 744-4900. Procurement said they have “Nothing to do with that”. I knew that but ended up calling 311 and they will look into this matter. (Reference Number 08-01740201) The lady at 311 wondered why a non-city crew would be working in the street. I am looking into the private businesses that get free sewer work. Patronage can elect a president and make a man very wealthy. I think Mayor Daley should step away from the (oxygen) bar in Denver and get back home to help the taxpayers, does that man ever stop partying?

State Workers lose their jobs to private contractors Emil Jones

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I had a prior post regarding the Christy Webber Landscapes that caused quite a bit of concern. When you attempt to show an issue or worry people get off track, so I would like to get us on track again. If Christy Webber’s workers became Union that is a good thing for them, I hope they have a decent benefits package and health insurance. As the City of Chicago continues to privatize, many workers will continue to be placed in a very dangerous position. This is the Kennedy expressway in Chicago. Workers have gotten killed far too often and laws have been strengthened to force drivers to slow down. When you were driving on Chicago expressways years ago, state workers cut the grass. Those workers cost more because they had at least two big trucks to reduce the chance of workers getting run over. Lately, Christy Webber workers are working on the expressway with one little safety cone located near the trailer. This is an absolute disgrace and the workers should be protected at all costs. Privatization allows less oversight and fewer protections. I hope you contact Christy Webber and the unions her workers belong to. OSHA should not allow this to continue. Photo by Patrick McDonough