Is this a success?
The Tribune had this piece today about the City's failure to meet their electricity sales goals.
City fiscal officer Coleen Balzarini did not express disappointment Monday that the city missed its goal of at least 50 MW. "It is what it is," Balzarini said. She said the latest batch of agreements are "very good contracts that will serve us well when we go out to the market." She said city officials were "busy signing contracts all the way through 7:30 last night (Sunday)."
(Really? Why weren't they ready yesterday, then?)
I also received this unsolicited comment on the whole affair from a local professional:
I wonder how much time/man hours of City employees were spent pursing contracts for the City’s supposedly separate electrical utility company. In the end 4.9 of 25 megawatts were sold(and they were not disappointed?). Imagine if all the time spent by the City Manager, the City’s Chief Financial Officer, and the City’s staff on chieving less than 20% of their goal was spent instead on convincing GE Great Falls was a better location than Billings to place its Montana operation. Sorry, I do not have the data to compare long term jobs generated by the Highwood Plant and the GE Service branch. However, I am pretty sure there is a lot less in the way of pollution concerns.Interesting point...
It's also interesting that we apparently lost the GE branch due to a lack of $500,000.00, ("They offered $500,000 in cash and we offered $500,000 in loans," [GFDA Director] Doney said. "We just don't have the resources for cash incentives.") yet the City had $1.4 million in "excess cash" to tie up for the benefit of SME.
10 comments:
"It is what it is", colleen ballsaringing. For those who don't understand exactly what she's saying here, allow me to interpret. For unilke billy boy, I know EXACTLY what is is! If it LOOKS like is, and SMELLS like is, and you accidentally STEP in it, it IS is! And buddy let me tell ya that the city of GF stepped all OVER in is THIS time!
LK
Guess "it is what it" is is good enough for government work. You know, high standards and all. I'm thinking I should drop my private industry sales position and work for the city. Never fret again over closing a sale.
Has anybody asked these fools how many pets they have killed up at the shelter since taking over? It is what it is you know.
With regard to GE, the $500,000 issue was not the deciding factor. The decision was driven by workforce. We are going to get more in depth feedback from GE on how we faired in scoring, then will get together with our community partners who helped us on the proposal to see how we can score higher on the next opportunity. One thing they have mentioned is that Billings offered a strong four year business program. We had pitched what we have and can do with the 2 year program at MSU GF COT and the 4 year program at UGF. With business professional services being one of our target markets, I think we are going to have to work closely with these partners to see what we can do to enhance offerings and enrollment.
Brett Doney, GFDA
What do you expect from coal'tards?
GE comes here and sees Great Falls wants to build a French coal plant based on 1920's technology.
Ask yourself Brent, GE is The Ecomagination Company - in all parts of the business this is the primary business focus. You think things would have been different if the city of Great Falls were buying into a GE wind farm or GE's cleaner coal power based on their IGCC technology?
This loss was not about work force or 4 year college programs. It was about the unsophisticated backwards thinking government in Great Falls. It was about the likes of Lawton, Stebbins and Co. saying IGCC is not feasible or cost effective - a direct insult to GE from a bunch of unschooled know nothings.
This was payback and GE bitch slapped the city. Sorry you were caught up in this mess. Not your fault.
It is what it is.
Business majors working in a call center?????? I don't THINK so.
LK
There is no risk.
There is no risk.
There is no risk.
.....we are in their power.....
There is no risk.
Perhaps the City can hire some out of state consultants to help proof read the coal plant contracts before they are presented to the commissioners. So what if the contracts are sloppy and riddled with errors? They are what they are. Everyone knows what they are supposed to say, right?
It's just legalese...it doesn't really matter.
"We apologize for the typographical errors," "They don't change anything."
Not one of these fools have ever completed a college level business law course. No way in hell.
Sign over the commission should read, "Caution, High School Drop-Outs At Work"
This has to be the most incompetent city government I've ever seen. Sloppy work, no one held accountable for screwing up, officials who can't or won't answer simple and/or tough questions... it goes on and on and on. I urge everyone who reads this board to vote them out come November.
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