Dear Source:
I am writing regarding the downtown business district revitalization project. My wife and I come to St. Thomas every year in January for three weeks. Like many we came in the 90’s and fell in love with everything the territories have to offer. We consider ourselves a little more than your average tourist as we try and get involved in local activities and preservation. In fact on our recent trip we volunteered at the historic excavation site near Market Square and former St. Thomas Bank building. Also on our recent trip we were so delighted to see that Government monies have been allocated to pay for downtown revitalization. Burying utilities and planned improvements make perfect economic and aesthetic sense. Tourism is the bread and butter for the territories and St. Thomas has a one-time opportunity to get it right and catapult itself WAY ahead of other Caribbean destinations.
Recently we hired a roofer to come and replace a roof for us. Unfortunately we chose the lowest bidder and have been fighting with them for 8 months over fixing two leaks in the roof…the new roof! So we have incurred additional costs to drywall repair and the time delays are driving us crazy. Why am I telling you this? Because you should develop strict guidelines for whoever is awarded the contract and use someone who has a proven track record. Let’s be honest here…the Havensight road project proves that going with the lowest bidder might not be the best idea. But there is a big difference between these two projects. One project is located in the heart of your economic engine and if delayed it cripples you financially and could have lasting consequences. Let’s get it done fast and use a quality contractor and use performance guarantees in the contract. Thank you.
Patrick F. Galla, Louisville, Kentucky
How does the Havensight Project prove that going with the lowest bidder is wrong?
The last I heard the Havensight Project was going to finish within its allotted time frame?
Mr. Galla,
You spend 3 weeks here in High Season, yet you claim to know more about local projects than most of us.
You are advocating the government spend an extra $2 Million dollars to a contractor because, for some unexplained reason, your contractor is that much better.
In your 3 weeks here, did you have occasion to drive St. Thomas’ roads?
Would you consider them to be in good shape?
My answer to that question would be; the roads are in much need of renovation and rebuilding.
However, the main obstacle to the rebuilding, according to those in charge of such things, is the lack of available funding.
How do you reconcile the lack of funding with the ability to pay $2 Million extra dollars to the highest bidding contractor, when the lowest bidder used the same plans to bid, provided necessary Bonding and will be held to the same specifications as the high bidder?
How do you reconcile this decision with the Federal Highway Administration?
If this Territory has $2 million dollars to throw away, I am certain many government employees or ex-employees would and could find a place to spend it.
The Best Contractor is Busy at Work Providing Quality Revitalization
By Robert Schierloh, President – VI Paving
Dear Patrick F. Galia of Louisville, Kentucky and the St. Thomas Source:
I apologize for any inconvenience the Frenchman Bay (Havensight) Road Project may have caused you and others during your recent visit. I assure you it’s never our intent to disrupt businesses, residents or tourists during a revitalization project. It is however our intent to keep our workers & the public safe while delivering the best product possible.
During the initial months of this project we discovered high tension power lines only 6” beneath the road’s surface. Running our metal track equipment directly over these lines were extremely dangerous. Once exposed these high tension lines could not only severely injure, but could kill anyone who encounters them. We had no choice but to stop the job until the experts at the related Utility Company properly dealt with them. It took an unfortunate amount of time to get the attention needed, but once the Utility Company completed their end, VI Paving quickly and efficiently completed their scope of work up until the point of again needing others to step in.
At this point VI Paving has completed all the work necessary for the Utility Companies to complete their work with all the power, telephone and TV lines to insure proper and quality service to St Thomas. So like the people of St Thomas, VI Paving has to wait for all the related Utility Companies work to be done. Once the Utility Companies have completed their work, VI Paving is completely prepared to deliver St Thomas the new road and convenience we all deserve.
Being as frequent a visitor and admirer of the US Virgin Islands, I’m sure you’ve enjoyed the many quality roads, parking lots and runways revised by VI Paving without even knowing it.
I hope this clarifies the delays and inconvenience and I hope to vanish any doubt of our abilities once this project is complete.
Best regards,
Robert Schierloh
President, VI Paving