Posted on 12/20/2010 12:09:13 AM PST by Islander7
The State Auditor’s Office is investigating a contract with the Mississippi Department of Transportation that paid more than $800,000 in public money to a railroad consultant in Virginia -- an expense that has “astounded” one top state transportation official.
Officials with MDOT, the Auditor’s Office and others remain tight-lipped during the investigation of a contract for $100 an hour for railroad advice from Bill Hughes of Hughes Consulting, which is based in Roanoke, Va. One top official to whom the consulting-services invoices were sent is no longer with MDOT, but officials there wouldn’t comment on his departure.
Invoices from Hughes that MDOT provided the Sun Herald offer little explanation of what specific tasks he was being paid for other than “consulting services.” He took trips to Milwaukee; Hartford, Conn.; Cincinnati; Jacksonville, Fla.; Oklahoma City and other places on MDOT’s behalf and was paid up to $4,000 per trip for consulting and reimbursed for expenses.
(Excerpt) Read more at sunherald.com ...
We are dealing with kind of the same thing with ODOT, and the Columbia River Crossing, which is the government fancy word for a bridge.
During the study period, it’s cost the state over 110 million dollars...and still counting.
WHY?
Because they are corrupt, and they find that the tax payers’s dollars are the easiest to get.
Hall said he hasn’t been able to find much proof of actual work being done over the three-year period Hughes was paid for.
Proof of work is also not something that companies require; but perhaps the government should have at least some paperwork about it. The official who hired this contractor should have all the answers to that.
The 3-year period tells us more. Normally he would work 40 hr/week, and with 52 weeks per year he'd earn $208,000 per year (before taxes.) So over three years he would earn $624K for his time, and the rest should be expenses. After taxes and medical insurance he would be left with about $140-150K per year, which is a good compensation for a competent engineer. Some earn more.
If you ask me, that's exactly what employees cost to businesses. Maybe the government expects consultants to work for $25K/yr? A specialist, perhaps a licensed engineer, knows his price.
I knew a single consultant who made 200,000 per 6 months to evaluate safety on oil tankers in Alaska. He did it for 20 years and he was only one consultant. Consulting is one of the createst scams of the modern era of safety and eco BS.
He as well as many have Law degrees.
Choo choo consulting doesn’t come cheap, doncha know!
Agreed - the rates are reasonable. Would be good to have a better explanation on his services. I would imagine the investigation will figure that out talking with the various folks and departments that he worked for.
Although I do wonder why some state DOT consultant is running all over the country. I know all the various professional organizations have trade shows, conferences with speakers, etc. to gain knowledge and make contacts. But a lot of it is a boondongle.
(My kid’s orthodontist sent a Christmas card from Hawaii, where the whole office had gone for some orthodontist meeting. Ba Humbug.)
Reminds me. I have to redo an invoice. The state doesn’t want the expenses in per diem - they want it on receipts. (The last project it was the other way around...)
BTW, do we know the political parties of those involved?
I’d like to know why MDOT wouldn’t explain the kind of work he was doing for the state. Submitting an expense report just isn’t acceptable without details.
Obviously it’s a stealth Mississippi train project.
They must be afraid that neighboring Alabama would deploy their own train first in the redneck space race.
Federal Stimulus Money?
Hang anyone that steals from the people... public hanging until dead.
LLS
“Consulting is one of the createst scams of the modern era”
A Consultant is a person that borrows your watch so they can tell you what time it is.
They are paid to put their name on your idea, that you have provided to them, so you can hide behind their “credibility.”
“Here is the information we got from our consultant,” quotation is kind of like playing the race card.
“an expense that has “astounded” one top state transportation official.”
Is “astounded” the new media word to replace “unexpected”? That’s just plain inconceivable!!!!
Really. I'm an IT consultant for a systems integrator. We sell our services to small and medium sized businesses who can't afford or don't really need a full time IT staff. Our clients find it much more affordable to pay my fee of around $200.00 an hour on an as needed basis rather than spend well over $100,00.00 a year on a full time employee.
They are paid to put their name on your idea, that you have provided to them, so you can hide behind their “credibility.”
You sir or madame are a complete ignoramus.
First attempt to slime/diminish Haley?
Agreed.
I would love to be able to pay consultants only $100/hr. Average consulting engineers charge $150 or so. $100 is for entry level. The top guys in the world can make over $200. These are the guys who help make life-or-death decisions on multi-billion dollar projects. Yes, engineers make life-or-death decisions, all the time.
We think we want the best and smartest doctors to provide our medical care? Think about what kind of engineers we want the next time we drive over a bridge, get in an airplane, or go to work in an office building.
Hack divorce lawyers around here make $300-$500, easy. Compare their relative worth to society to the engineers who build the world around us.
Do you know why divorce is so expensive? Because it's worth every dime.
man I remember when highway commissioners always had the best earthwork and longest driveways
and county supervisors had the best hunting spots in the county
coincidence?
..the good old days
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