LOCKHART ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPENING SCHEDULE

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Aug. 22, 2002 – Laura T. Chesterfield, principal of Lockhart Elementary School, has announced the opening schedule as follows:
Tuesday, Aug. 27
8-10 a.m. Students in grades 1-3, Primary FSI, MIS I and all transitional classes are to report for orientation in full uniform. Parents are asked to stay with their child or children until dismissed at 10 a.m.
12:30-2:35 p.m. Students in grades 4-6, Intermediate ESL and MIS I are to report for orientation in full uniform. Parents are asked to stay with their child or children until dismissal at 2:35 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 28
All students grades 1-6, ESI and MIS I are to report for a full day of school.
8-10 a.m. Kindergarten orientation for parents and students with last names beginning with letters A-M.
Thursday, Aug. 29
8-10 a.m. Kindergarten orientation for parents and students with last names beginning with letters N-Z.
Friday, Aug. 30
All kindergarteners will attend a full day of school.
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ULLA MULLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPENING

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Aug. 22, 2002 – Ophelia Shillingford, principal of the Ulla Muller Elementary School, announces the following reporting schedule for the 2002-2003 school year:
Tuesday, Aug. 27 7:50 a.m.-2:40 p.m. All returning students in grades 1-6, MIS, and Multi-age classes are to report.
New students in those grades are required to go through the registration process and are expected to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Parents and guardians are reminded to bring appropriate documents, including immunization cards, Social Security number and the letter from the superintendent's office, to complete the registration process.
Wednesday, Aug. 28 7:50-11 a.m. Kindergarten students with last names beginning with letters A-M are to report for registration and orientation only.
Thursday, Aug. 29 7:50-11 a.m. Kindergarten students with last names beginning with letters N-Z are to report for registration and orientation only.
Parents of kindergarten students must remain with the students throughout the morning session. All documents for registration will be provided at that time.
All kindergarten students will attend their first full day of classes on Friday, Aug. 30, at 7:50 a.m.
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EDITH L. WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPENING

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Aug. 22, 2002 – Carolyn Archer, principal of the Edith L. Williams Elementary School, has announced the following reporting schedule for the 2002-2003 school year:
Tuesday, Aug. 27 7:45 a.m. All students in grades 1-6 are to report. Parents are encouraged to accompany their children and make arrangements to spend at least an hour for student orientation.
Wednesday, Aug. 289 to 11:30 a.m. only. Students entering kindergarten, accompanied by a parent or guardian, are to report for orientation.
All kindergarten students will attend their first full day of classes on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 7:45 a.m.
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DOBER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPENING SCHEDULE

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Aug. 22, 2002 – Elise Caiby Warner, principal of Leonard Dober Elementary, has announced the following schedule for students to meet:
Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 8 a.m. Students with last names beginning with letters A-L will meet for orientation and a full day of classes.
Thursday, Aug. 29, at 8 a.m. Students with last names beginning with letters M-Z will meet for orientation and a full day of classes.
All students are to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Parents are reminded that immunization records are required to complete registration.
Parents are advised that gym uniforms and workbooks will be available for purchase.
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INITIATIVE SIGNATURES LAG ON ST. THOMAS, ST. JOHN

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Aug. 21, 2002 – St. Croix is surging ahead of the St. Thomas-St. John district in the collection of signatures in support of the Citizens for Legislative Reform initiative calling for numbered seats in the Legislature.
More than 2,400 signatures have been collected on St. Croix, compared with fewer than 1,000 for St. Thomas and St. John together, Hugh Dalton, publicity director for the initiative, said on Wednesday.
The signature drive has thus missed its self-imposed target of 6,000 signatures by Aug. 15, but advocates say they are not deterred.
"This is a challenge to St. Thomas," Dalton, who owns a public relations firm in Frederiksted, said. He vowed to travel to St. Thomas himself at the end of August to solicit signatures needed for the effort to move forward, and he said he will have 3,000 St. Croix signatures in hand at that time.
One reason for the lower level of support on St. Thomas is that "we haven't had the manpower on St. Thomas that we've had on St. Croix," he said.
Dalton also noted that all is not lost if the initiative doesn't get on the 2002 ballot, which was initially the group's goal. "We have six months after May 23 to submit the signatures to the elections office," and there are a couple other options, he said.
The group has been waging an active publicity campaign with radio spots called "Did You Know" that feature local political personalities answering questions about voting and voters' rights. (See "Push is on for numbered-seats petition signers".)
Once the signed petitions are turned in to the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, it is expected to take the office staff 15 working days, or about three weeks, to verify their authenticity. If a sufficient number pass muster, the initiative will then go to the Legislature, which has 30 days to accept it, in which case it then becomes law; or to reject it, in which case it will then be put before the electorate for a vote. The Legislature has the option of submitting a version of its own to go on the ballot along with the initiative.
Dalton is eyeing other options with enthusiasm and a little creativity. "There's going to be a runoff election," he said, voicing prevailing public opinion. "So, if we had enough signatures by that time, we possibly could get it on that ballot then."
Another possibility: "We know several senators back the initiative, although not all of them are committing to it before the election. It's a political strategy right now; we can't really push them. We will get enough signatures in the next 30 to 45 days to at least go before the 'lame duck' Senate before the end of the year. All we need is eight votes, and it could become law."
Among individuals seeking public office in November, the committee has cited support from Delegate Donna M. Christensen; gubernatorial candidates Michael Bornn, Cora Christian and Gov. Charles Turnbull; lieutenant governor candidate Vargrave Richards; and senatorial candidates Craig Barshinger, Elroi Baumann, Sen. Lorraine Berry, Sen. Douglas E. Canton Jr., Sen. Roosevelt David, Sen. Emmett Hansen II and Luther Renee.
The initiative officially came into existence after 1 percent of the registered voters in both districts signed a petition earlier this year asking for numbered seats. With such a system, incumbents would run on their records, and the challengers for a particular seat would seek to persuade voters that they could do a better job than the individual who has occupied it for the last two years.
Proponents say this would do away with the free-for-all popularity contest nature of the current method of election, in which all candidates in a district run against one another, and the top seven vote getters win. With designated seats, each senator's spending and attendance records would come into play — something that some senators do not wish advertised, advocates say.
Unlike the referendum to reduce the number of seats in the Senate that was approved overwhelmingly by voters on the 2000 ballot but later was rejected by the Senate, an initiative cannot be ignored by the lawmakers.
On St. Thomas, petitions for collecting signatures are available at the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce offices, from Bornn's campaign headquarters, and from WGOD radio personality Wingrove Fenton, who can be reached at 774-4498.
On St. Croix, they can be obtained from Dalton and Associates in Frederiksted, the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce offices in the Orange Grove Shopping Center, Luncheria, Quality Electric, and Bornn's campaign headquarters in Christiansted.
On St. John, they can be picked up at Connections or obtained by calling Barshinger at 693-5000 or e-mailing him at C. Barshinger.
To print out copies of the petition from the Source, "Initiative petition".
Signed copies should be sent to the Citizens for Legislative Reform. The mailing address is provided on the petition.

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INITIATIVE SIGNATURES LAG ON ST. JOHN, ST. THOMAS

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About 3,400 signatures — most of them on Aug. 21, 2002 – St. Croix is surging ahead of the St. Thomas-St. John district in the collection of signatures in support of the Citizens for Legislative Reform initiative calling for numbered seats in the Legislature.
More than 2,400 signatures have been collected on St. Croix, compared with fewer than 1,000 for St. Thomas and St. John together, Hugh Dalton, publicity director for the initiative, said on Wednesday.
The signature drive has thus missed its self-imposed target of 6,000 signatures by Aug. 15, but advocates say they are not deterred.
"This is a challenge to St. Thomas," Dalton, who owns a public relations firm in Frederiksted, said. He vowed to travel to St. Thomas himself at the end of August to solicit signatures needed for the effort to move forward, and he said he will have 3,000 St. Croix signatures in hand at that time.
One reason for the lower level of support on St. Thomas is that "we haven't had the manpower on St. Thomas that we've had on St. Croix," he said.
Dalton also noted that all is not lost if the initiative doesn't get on the 2002 ballot, which was initially the group's goal. "We have six months after May 23 to submit the signatures to the elections office," and there are a couple other options, he said.
The group has been waging an active publicity campaign with radio spots called "Did You Know" that feature local political personalities answering questions about voting and voters' rights. (See "Push is on for numbered-seats petition signers".)
Once the signed petitions are turned in to the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, it is expected to take the office staff 15 working days, or about three weeks, to verify their authenticity. If a sufficient number pass muster, the initiative will then go to the Legislature, which has 30 days to accept it, in which case it then becomes law; or to reject it, in which case it will then be put before the electorate for a vote. The Legislature has the option of submitting a version of its own to go on the ballot along with the initiative.
Dalton is eyeing other options with enthusiasm and a little creativity. "There's going to be a runoff election," he said, voicing prevailing public opinion. "So, if we had enough signatures by that time, we possibly could get it on that ballot then."
Another possibility: "We know several senators back the initiative, although not all of them are committing to it before the election. It's a political strategy right now; we can't really push them. We will get enough signatures in the next 30 to 45 days to at least go before the 'lame duck' Senate before the end of the year. All we need is eight votes, and it could become law."
Among individuals seeking public office in November, the committee has cited support from Delegate Donna M. Christensen; gubernatorial candidates Michael Bornn, Cora Christian and Gov. Charles Turnbull; lieutenant governor candidate Vargrave Richards; and senatorial candidates Craig Barshinger, Elroi Baumann, Sen. Lorraine Berry, Sen. Douglas E. Canton Jr., Sen. Roosevelt David, Sen. Emmett Hansen II and Luther Renee.
The initiative officially came into existence after 1 percent of the registered voters in both districts signed a petition earlier this year asking for numbered seats. With such a system, incumbents would run on their records, and the challengers for a particular seat would seek to persuade voters that they could do a better job than the individual who has occupied it for the last two years.
Proponents say this would do away with the free-for-all popularity contest nature of the current method of election, in which all candidates in a district run against one another, and the top seven vote getters win. With designated seats, each senator's spending and attendance records would come into play — something that some senators do not wish advertised, advocates say.
Unlike the referendum to reduce the number of seats in the Senate that was approved overwhelmingly by voters on the 2000 ballot but later was rejected by the Senate, an initiative cannot be ignored by the lawmakers.
On St. Thomas, petitions for collecting signatures are available at the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce offices, from Bornn's campaign headquarters, and from WGOD radio personality Wingrove Fenton, who can be reached at 774-4498.
On St. Croix, they can be obtained from Dalton and Associates in Frederiksted, the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce offices in the Orange Grove Shopping Center, Luncheria, Quality Electric, and Bornn's campaign headquarters in Christiansted.
On St. John, they can be picked up at Connections or obtained by calling Barshinger at 693-5000 or e-mailing him at C. Barshinger.
To print out copies of the petition from the Source, "Initiative petition".
Signed copies should be sent to the Citizens for Legislative Reform. The mailing address is provided on the petition.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

SIGNATURES BACKING INITIATIVE LAG ON ST. THOMAS

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Aug. 21, 2002 – St. Croix is surging ahead of the St. Thomas-St. John district in the collection of signatures in support of the Citizens for Legislative Reform initiative calling for numbered seats in the Legislature.
More than 2,400 signatures have been collected on St. Croix, compared with fewer than 1,000 for St. Thomas and St. John together, Hugh Dalton, publicity director for the initiative, said on Wednesday.
The signature drive has thus missed its self-imposed target of 6,000 signatures by Aug. 15, but advocates say they are not deterred.
"This is a challenge to St. Thomas," Dalton, who owns a public relations firm in Frederiksted, said. He vowed to travel to St. Thomas himself at the end of August to solicit signatures needed for the effort to move forward, and he said he will have 3,000 St. Croix signatures in hand at that time.
One reason for the lower level of support on St. Thomas is that "we haven't had the manpower on St. Thomas that we've had on St. Croix," he said.
Dalton also noted that all is not lost if the initiative doesn't get on the 2002 ballot, which was initially the group's goal. "We have six months after May 23 to submit the signatures to the elections office," and there are a couple other options, he said.
The group has been waging an active publicity campaign with radio spots called "Did You Know" that feature local political personalities answering questions about voting and voters' rights. (See "Push is on for numbered-seats petition signers".)
Once the signed petitions are turned in to the Office of the Supervisor of Elections, it is expected to take the office staff 15 working days, or about three weeks, to verify their authenticity. If a sufficient number pass muster, the initiative will then go to the Legislature, which has 30 days to accept it, in which case it then becomes law; or to reject it, in which case it will then be put before the electorate for a vote. The Legislature has the option of submitting a version of its own to go on the ballot along with the initiative.
Dalton is eyeing other options with enthusiasm and a little creativity. "There's going to be a runoff election," he said, voicing prevailing public opinion. "So, if we had enough signatures by that time, we possibly could get it on that ballot then."
Another possibility: "We know several senators back the initiative, although not all of them are committing to it before the election. It's a political strategy right now; we can't really push them. We will get enough signatures in the next 30 to 45 days to at least go before the 'lame duck' Senate before the end of the year. All we need is eight votes, and it could become law."
Among individuals seeking public office in November, the committee has cited support from Delegate Donna M. Christensen; gubernatorial candidates Michael Bornn, Cora Christian and Gov. Charles Turnbull; lieutenant governor candidate Vargrave Richards; and senatorial candidates Craig Barshinger, Elroi Baumann, Sen. Lorraine Berry, Sen. Douglas E. Canton Jr., Sen. Roosevelt David, Sen. Emmett Hansen II and Luther Renee.
The initiative officially came into existence after 1 percent of the registered voters in both districts signed a petition earlier this year asking for numbered seats. With such a system, incumbents would run on their records, and the challengers for a particular seat would seek to persuade voters that they could do a better job than the individual who has occupied it for the last two years.
Proponents say this would do away with the free-for-all popularity contest nature of the current method of election, in which all candidates in a district run against one another, and the top seven vote getters win. With designated seats, each senator's spending and attendance records would come into play — something that some senators do not wish advertised, advocates say.
Unlike the referendum to reduce the number of seats in the Senate that was approved overwhelmingly by voters on the 2000 ballot but later was rejected by the Senate, an initiative cannot be ignored by the lawmakers.
On St. Thomas, petitions for collecting signatures are available at the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce offices, from Bornn's campaign headquarters, and from WGOD radio personality Wingrove Fenton, who can be reached at 774-4498.
On St. Croix, they can be obtained from Dalton and Associates in Frederiksted, the St. Croix Chamber of Commerce offices in the Orange Grove Shopping Center, Luncheria, Quality Electric, and Bornn's campaign headquarters in Christiansted.
On St. John, they can be picked up at Connections or obtained by calling Barshinger at 693-5000 or e-mailing him at C. Barshinger.
To print out copies of the petition from the Source, "Initiative petition".
Signed copies should be sent to the Citizens for Legislative Reform. The mailing address is provided on the petition.

Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

AUDIT UNCOVERS MISUSE OF FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDS

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Aug. 21, 2002 – A federal audit has found the Public Works Department has used contract amendments and change orders to circumvent the requirement that contracts for work funded by the Federal Highway Administration be awarded only after a competitive bidding process.
In one case, a contract let in 1993 for construction management and inspection services was extended five times over a period of five years and along the way encompassed work that was not part of the original contract, adding almost $3 million to the original $805,086 contract — a 363 percent increase.
In another case, increases amounted to $1.7 million, 181 percent over the original contract. In that case, cited in the audit released this week by the U.S. Interior Department's Office of the Inspector General, the project was extended for "13 years through three major amendments and a noncompetitive follow-on contract that added many items that were not in the original scope of work."
The original contract, let in 1986 in the amount of $958,841, was for work on Black Point Hill Road, Bolongo Bay Road, and Mandahl Road on St. Thomas. In 1988, $354,368 was added on for engineering services for highway projects on the Long Bay and Frenchman's Bay Roads. A second amendment added $251,742 for more engineering services for the Veterans Drive-Lovers Lane intersection, and Long Bay Road near Yacht Haven, changes prior to design for Bolongo Bay Road and curbs for Centerline Road.
In 1991, five years after the original contract was awarded, another $397,412 was added for work on Race Track Road, Raphune Hill and the intersection of Bolongo Bay Road and Turpentine Run and for an archeological inventory at Long Bay and Frenchman's Bay Roads.
And 13 years later, in 1999, engineering work, storm sewers, the Turpentine Run bridge and a culvert at Mandahl added yet another $729,250.
The audit also found double billings amounting to $457,763. The contractor had charged overhead for things such as travel, rent, utilities, postage, equipment rental and office maintenance — things that were "specifically included in the contract and contract amendment as 'miscellaneous direct non-salary costs' that were directly reimbursed under the contract," the audit said.
Another glaring irregularity was payment for construction and management services equivalent to 50 percent of construction costs, although the industry standard is 3 to 10 percent of construction costs. In 1997, when a Public Works grant manager suggested the contractor be required to provide justification for disputed or disallowed costs, the Public Works commissioner, who is not named in the audit, ordered that all contractor claims be paid.
The report also said non-transportation projects for which federal highway funds were used, such as Buddhoe Park and the Millennium Monument, which cost $1.57 million and $442,568 respectively (increased from the original contracts of $659,111 and $162,323, respectively), should be financed through bond proceeds for capital improvement projects, not soak up much-needed funds earmarked for highway projects.
In response to the add-ons to contracts, Public Works stated, "It is often not in the best interest of the government to request new bids when additional work arises in relation to existing contracts."
But the Inspector General's audit called the add-on and change-order extensions "a questionable business practice" and suggested that Public Works "develop a good working relationship with a number of other highway engineering firms and use the competitive procurement process to encourage those firms to compete against each other to give the government the best possible service at the best possible price."
The audit also suggested that where the same costs were billed twice, the duplicate charges should be collected from the contractor.
Other deficiencies found by the audit:
– Potential savings of about $835,200 were not realized because the government did not ensure that certain provisions for damages were included in and enforced for construction contracts.
– Salary reimbursements were overpaid by $43,913 because vouchers contained errors.
– The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program did not meet its objectives because of lack of monitoring staff.
– Federally financed equipment valued at more than $35,000 was not adequately accounted for and safeguarded.
Eleven recommendations were made to the governor. Based on the response by the Public Works commissioner, the Inspector General considers five recommendations resolved but not implemented and four unresolved, with additional information requested for one recommendation.
The governor has until Sept. 30 to respond.
The Federal Highway Administration sends nearly $13 million a year to the territory for constructing, maintaining and repairing public roads in the Virgin Islands.

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MANGROVE LAGOON TREATMENT PLANT DEDICATED

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Aug. 21, 2002 – High on a hill overlooking the Bovoni landfill, local and federal government officials gathered Wednesday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the territory's newest wastewater treatment plant, described by Public Works Commissioner Wayne Callwood as "the best plant in the Caribbean region."
The Mangrove Lagoon plant's one-story processing container has a storage capacity of 400,000 gallons of sewage. Callwood says the plant can treat and convert up to 70,000 gallons a day.
Visitors mounting a series of steps from the operational portion of plant to its administrative office on Wednesday passed a series of sprinklers shooting out clear, odorless water that Callwood said was the end product of the wastewater treatment process.
"We can use the water to sprinkle and take care of our grounds," he said. "It comes directly from the plant, and we're going to use the same water on the Bovoni road to keep the dust down."
Gov. Charles W. Turnbull told those gathered for the ribbon cutting that he hopes the opening of the plant will signal the start of an era when the V.I. government can shift from trying to solve problems through crisis management into one where problems are anticipated and projects are carried out according to plan.
"Turning this initial plan into a functioning reality has not been easy," Turnbull said. He cited "lack of funding, natural and manmade disasters, plan modifications, not the least, permitting issues" as factors that delayed its completion. "We even lost an individual … in this task," he said.
That individual was Harold Thompson Jr., the 38-year-old Public Works commissioner who died in office while in the midst of tackling the territory's failing wastewater processing system.
Other dignitaries on hand at the ceremony were Delegate Donna M. Christensen, members of the 24th Legislature and officials from Region 2 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Region 2 EPA administrator Jane M. Kenny said she was looking forward to inspecting the plant. She said EPA engineers have been involved in the project throughout the construction and system testing phases. The EPA provided $14 million in federal funds toward the project, she said.
Once the plant it is brought fully on line, it will serve the eastern portion of St. Thomas, except for Estate Nazareth, where wastewater is processed at the Vessup Bay plant. Its operation also allows the V.I. government to take one of the older facilities in the area out of service.
Some of the older treatment plants are not in compliance with federal standards, but the governor pledged to bring them up to standard "within the next five years."
The dedication ceremony was the first of two for the day for most of the officials. In the afternoon, the Cruz Bay treatment plant, which has been up and running for more than a year, also was formally dedicated.

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AUDIT UNCOVERS MISUSE OF FEDERAL HIGHWAY FUNDS

0
Aug. 21, 2002 – A federal audit has found the Public Works Department has used contract amendments and change orders to circumvent the requirement that contracts for work funded by the Federal Highway Administration be awarded only after a competitive bidding process.
In one case, a contract let in 1993 for construction management and inspection services was extended five times over a period of five years and along the way encompassed work that was not part of the original contract, adding almost $3 million to the original $805,086 contract — a 363 percent increase.
In another case, increases amounted to $1.7 million, 181 percent over the original contract. In that case, cited in the audit released this week by the U.S. Interior Department's Office of the Inspector General, the project was extended for "13 years through three major amendments and a noncompetitive follow-on contract that added many items that were not in the original scope of work."
The original contract, let in 1986 in the amount of $958,841, was for work on Black Point Hill Road, Bolongo Bay Road, and Mandahl Road on St. Thomas. In 1988, $354,368 was added on for engineering services for highway projects on the Long Bay and Frenchman's Bay Roads. A second amendment added $251,742 for more engineering services for the Veterans Drive-Lovers Lane intersection, and Long Bay Road near Yacht Haven, changes prior to design for Bolongo Bay Road and curbs for Centerline Road.
In 1991, five years after the original contract was awarded, another $397,412 was added for work on Race Track Road, Raphune Hill and the intersection of Bolongo Bay Road and Turpentine Run and for an archeological inventory at Long Bay and Frenchman's Bay Roads.
And 13 years later, in 1999, engineering work, storm sewers, the Turpentine Run bridge and a culvert at Mandahl added yet another $729,250.
The audit also found double billings amounting to $457,763. The contractor had charged overhead for things such as travel, rent, utilities, postage, equipment rental and office maintenance — things that were "specifically included in the contract and contract amendment as 'miscellaneous direct non-salary costs' that were directly reimbursed under the contract," the audit said.
Another glaring irregularity was payment for construction and management services equivalent to 50 percent of construction costs, although the industry standard is 3 to 10 percent of construction costs. In 1997, when a Public Works grant manager suggested the contractor be required to provide justification for disputed or disallowed costs, the Public Works commissioner, who is not named in the audit, ordered that all contractor claims be paid.
The report also said non-transportation projects for which federal highway funds were used, such as Buddhoe Park and the Millennium Monument, which cost $1.57 million and $442,568 respectively (increased from the original contracts of $659,111 and $162,323, respectively), should be financed through bond proceeds for capital improvement projects, not soak up much-needed funds earmarked for highway projects.
In response to the add-ons to contracts, Public Works stated, "It is often not in the best interest of the government to request new bids when additional work arises in relation to existing contracts."
But the Inspector General's audit called the add-on and change-order extensions "a questionable business practice" and suggested that Public Works "develop a good working relationship with a number of other highway engineering firms and use the competitive procurement process to encourage those firms to compete against each other to give the government the best possible service at the best possible price."
The audit also suggested that where the same costs were billed twice, the duplicate charges should be collected from the contractor.
Other deficiencies found by the audit:
– Potential savings of about $835,200 were not realized because the government did not ensure that certain provisions for damages were included in and enforced for construction contracts.
– Salary reimbursements were overpaid by $43,913 because vouchers contained errors.
– The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program did not meet its objectives because of lack of monitoring staff.
– Federally financed equipment valued at more than $35,000 was not adequately accounted for and safeguarded.
Eleven recommendations were made to the governor. Based on the response by the Public Works commissioner, the Inspector General considers five recommendations resolved but not implemented and four unresolved, with additional information requested for one recommendation.
The governor has until Sept. 30 to respond.
The Federal Highway Administration sends nearly $13 million a year to the territory for constructing, maintaining and repairing public roads in the Virgin Islands.

Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice.. click here.