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Contractors, Industry Goups File Suit Against Springfield Water & Sewer

Suit seeks court order to stop bidding under project labor agreement that undermines state bidding laws.

Springfield Water Flushing $15M Down the Drain with Special Interest Favoritism

By locking out merit shop bidders and requiring only union labor, the cost of the new West Parish Water Treatment Plant would increase by $15.44 million, the project engineers informed The Springfield Water & Sewer Commission.

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$15.44 Million & Months Delay, but Engineers Ignored

The Commission never publicly disclosed or discussed the engineering estimates. They ignored the information and went ahead with the PLA, only to have organized labor fail to sign the contract.

Commissioners Ignore Their Own Lawyer

Attorney Guz Advised Against the PLA.

The Board ignored its own legal counsel, Norm Guz,. "Atty. Guz recommended the Board not proceed with a PLA for the WTP project.," state minutes from the Dec. 2023 meeting. The project is now vulnerable to a costly and time-consuming legal challenge.

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Commissioners Cave to Pressure

The Commission caved to organized labor’s threats of a hypothetical strike and bought the union solution of a no-strike pledge in exchange for using only union workers.

But the Real Pressure Is From Union-Backed Politicians

Faced with pressure from the mayor and congressman, the Commission caved to an imaginary strike threat as a pretense to lock out merit shop contractors.

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2 of 3 Board Members Abdicate Fiduciary Responsibility

Knowing they have a duty to ratepayers, Commissioners Vanessa Otero and Matthew Donnellan voted for an illegal and costly PLA.  Meeting minutes show: “Commissioner Otero noted the Commissioners’ fiduciary responsibility and that their decisions cannot put the Commission at risk of litigation and/or increased project cost or schedule.” Yet, the Board’s 2-1 vote for the PLA has done just that.

Say No to Higher Water Rates & Violating State Bidding Laws

Tell the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission to stop playing political games and bid the West Parish Water Treatment Plant according to state law and without a project labor agreement.

 

Call now:  413-452-1300

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