DOUBLE-DIPPING CITY ENGINEER'S CONTRACT RENEWED

While you're scratching your head over why we have to pay for a lawyer like Dick Wendt to represent everyone but us (see previous story), here's another tale of the Grand Rapids City Commission's profligacy when it comes to hiring professionals.

Last Tuesday for the fourth year in a row the City Commission has approved an $83,200-a-year contract for Bill Cole to continue serving as the City Engineer even though he retired from the post in 2002.  In fact, Cole took an early retirement and then got immediately hired back as a consultant for the vacancy he created.  He's been double-dipping, drawing a pension and salary, ever since.  City Manager Kurt Kimball broke his promise that he would not recommend his long-time associate for a fourth year by claiming that it would cost taxpayers as much as $53,000 to hire a replacement for Cole.

Five of the seven commissioners, including Mayor Heartwell, slopped up the garbage Kimball served them and voted to renew Cole's contract.  Only two commissioners dissented, the increasingly contrary (which is not necessarily a bad thing) James Jendrasiak and (surprisingly) the usually repugnant Lynn Rabaut.  Click here to yank the chain of those who have approved this boondoggle for Cole and tell them it's time to hire a new engineer.