After the publication of our initial segment in November, “CDOT IN TOTAL DISARRAY,” the Chronicle has been inundated with additional information from present and former CDOT employees as well as other interested parties. As a result, what was originally envisioned as a two-part series has now been expanded to a three-part series, with the final installment coming in our January 2020 edition.
1950s Road: The Boulder Turnpike was originally constructed in 1952 as a toll road.
Coloradans are increasingly spending hours
stuck in traffic, some of which is unnecessary, insiders tell the Chronicle.
Former and current employees of the Colorado Department of Transportation
(CDOT), as well as in-state contractors, assert that the state agency formed in
1917 to direct the transportation needs of the state “no longer builds roads”
but simply now makes schedules that are seldom accurate. The primary goal at
CDOT has become avoiding blame or liability for the botched schedules and/or
designs resulting in massive additional costs for CDOT projects and long delays
in road projects being completed. The schedules have been weaponized by CDOT to
use against contractors when projects are delayed or run over budget, even where
the primary blame should fall on CDOT.
CDOT once revered for competence and
non-partisanship has become a political football whose overall mission is
increasingly unclear and muddled. Governor Jared Polis, upon coming into
office, replaced highly respected and seemingly well qualified Michael Lewis
(who had been appointed by then Governor Hickenlooper) with 35-year-old history
major Shoshana Lew. She is the daughter of Jack Lew, the former Chief of Staff
of President Obama and later his Secretary of the Treasury. Ms. Lew was
reportedly hired by Governor Polis as a personal favor to former First Lady
Michelle Obama. In interviews with media, including Colorado Public Radio, she
has strikingly avoided discussing roads and instead emphasizing bike lanes, buses,
light rail and multi-modal transportation. Her failure to respond to and, in
some cases, even understand questions from callers on “The Mandy Connell Show”
on 850 KOA Radio, caused her to be banned from the show which has a tradition
of featuring the head of CDOT to discuss transportation issues in Colorado.
CDOT employees indicate that she so dislikes traffic in the Denver area that
she has an employee chauffeur her around town, a luxury few Coloradans can
afford.
Sinkhole: The original toll road lasted over 60 years. The new revision constructed in 2014 lasted only five years without major repairs.
With transportation dollars relatively
scarce in Colorado and the state legislature unlikely to increase any funding
any time in the foreseeable future, making funding as cost efficient as
possible would logically be of paramount importance to CDOT, but the opposite
appears to be the case. In 2013 the legislature did away with the requirement
that all public projects in excess of $50,000 had to be “awarded by competitive
bid.” In its place it provided for the “best value” model in which bids come in
as either (1) Design Build (DB); or (2) Construction Management/General
Contractor (CMGC). Insiders view the “best value” as totally subjective and
little more than a new form of manipulating the system so that two large
out-of-state construction firms could be awarded 81% of all major construction
projects distributed by CDOT in the last seven years.
The two firms are Kraemer North America,
LLC, a subsidiary of the massive Japanese construction firm Obayashi
Corporation and Kiewit Corporation, a Fortune 500 construction company based in
Omaha, Nebraska. In-state contractors indicate that Timothy Maloney of Kraemer
North America was extraordinarily effective in shepherding through CDOT and the
state legislature the change in awarding contracts under the comically false
title “Keep Jobs in Colorado Act.” Prior to its enactment the majority of CDOT
projects went to in-state firms. Set below are the $3.7 billion in major
projects awarded over the last seven years by CDOT:
Mastermind: Tim Maloney, Vice President at Kraemer North America, LLC, successfully ramrodded the change in the bidding procedure through CDOT and the Colorado Legislature.
To apply to be awarded a DB or CMGC costs
firms tens of thousands of dollars. Insiders indicate that CDOT encourages
firms to apply in order to make the process look above board. But the in-state
contractors are then rejected on the basis that they have never done a large DB
or CMGC project. It is becoming increasingly difficult to con in state firms to
submit bids which they cannot win with the massive project almost inevitably
going to Kraemer or Kiewit or other international firms like Flatiron
Construction, a subsidiary of the massive German conglomerate HOCHTIEF.
In turn, Kiewit and Kraemer don’t even want
to have to prepare bids in the semi sham process as they are costly and time
consuming, so they have come up with a new method by using the so-called
“change order” scheme. Ordinarily a “change order” is a change in an existing
project that is different from what was originally contemplated, but words can
be manipulated to mean whatever someone wants.
Embattled: CDOT Executive Director Soshana Lew has incurred increasing demands for her resignation due to her lack of qualifications and performance at the job she currently holds at CDOT.
Regarding the over $300 million project to
build express lanes on I-25 from State Highway 402 to Fort Collins rather than
having to go through a bidding process, Kraemer got CDOT to simply declare that
it was going to do a “change order” to the $250 million project for express
lanes from State Highway 66 to State Highway 402. Little did it seem to matter
that the so-called “change order” was larger than the entire original project
and a wholly different section of I-25.
Cost Of Consultants
The massive costs of CDOT projects is in
large part due to the so-called “best value” method of bidding rather than
“lowest bidder,” but it is significantly exacerbated by the utter dependence on
outside consultant firms largely staffed with former CDOT employees who have
retired with PERA pensions at relatively young ages. CDOT no longer has the
in-house capacity to perform many of the everyday functions that it once did 20
years ago. Determining which outside consultants to utilize is once again on a
subjective basis and a consultant without a significant number of former CDOT
employees has little chance of being awarded a contract. Moreover, CDOT employees
have no incentive to look after the taxpayers when dealing with former work
colleagues. Furthermore, many of those now in CDOT plan to join a consultant
once they are eligible to retire under PERA and hope for similar lenient
treatment when they are on the outside.
Monumental Headquarters: Road funds have been scarce but CDOT built itself a massive, five-story, $160 million headquarters located at the intersection of West Howard Place and Federal Boulevard.
In May 2019 the Colorado State Auditor did
a Performance Audit of CDOT and found that problems with 80 of the 84 CDOT
agreements with consultants including “unapproved consultant labor rates,
contracts without proper approvals and contract terms that did not comply with
state requirements.”
While it was generally known that outside
consultants significantly added to the cost of CDOT projects the full extent of
the problem was not previously quantifiable. The chart below is based on very
recent internal CDOT calculations and if anything underestimates the problem in
which consultant fees have averaged over the last four years $226,500,000 per
annum adding 32.5% to the cost of CDOT projects.
Specific Projects
Next month the Chronicle will examine three
particular projects which are:
• The
$1.3 billion 10-mile Central 70 Project;
• The
$226 million 12.5-mile C-470 Project;
• The
$500 million I-25 North Expansion Lanes.
The delays, the cost overruns, the crony
bidding and other problems on these projects help identify the major concerns
with today’s dysfunctional Colorado Department of Transportation.
The legacy of General Maurice Rose has been
forever etched into the walls of Rose Medical Center. Aside from renaming the
hospital after the WWII 3rd Armored Division commander 70 years ago, a new
museum tucked into the lobby now boasts a stone fixture to signify the
namesake’s dedication by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Marshall Fogel, author of Major General
Maurice Rose, compared the relationship between Rose and Eisenhower to two
other notable figures in American history.
“Grant was to Lincoln what Rose was to
Eisenhower,” said Fogel of the former generals and U.S. presidents at Rose
Medical Center’s 70th anniversary celebration in November.
Fogel was invited to speak at the
commemoration and helped unveil “one of the most iconic paintings in WWII
history,” according to the author. A 1948 painting of General Rose was restored
and hung on display outside of the museum. Fogel told the Glendale Cherry Creek
Chronicle that he came to the hospital with his parents when he was
eight-years-old and saw that very same painting. His curiosity sparked, Fogel
would turn six years of work into his biography of Rose.
“I always wondered about him. I said,
‘someday I’m going to find out,’” Fogel told the Chronicle. “The longer I
researched him — which is hard because the records were difficult to find — the
more I realized you can’t make this stuff up.”
Rose was killed in combat during the war,
and at the time was the highest-ranking officer of Jewish background. The Rose
Medical Center was built to “serve every need and every creed” and was the
first hospital to hire a black doctor, Edmond Noel. Stories about Rose’s
military prowess are innumerable, and Fogel said he finds it fitting that
General Rose is side by side the hospital’s contributions to the community of
all cultures and faith.
“From my heart, to revive the legacy of
someone that important who was raised in Denver, who legitimately was a war
hero and gave his life for his country, and the richness of the legacy of why
they built this hospital to honor [Rose] has meant a lot to me,” said Fogel.
Kyle Wright, who helped Fogel construct his
book, told the Chronicle that he met Fogel while working as a server, and that
the two quickly became friends with similar interests.
“We would talk all the time, I would help
him with computer stuff. One thing led to another and [Fogel] ended up showing
me this giant portfolio he made of [General Rose’s] information. He asked me if
I wanted to help him with it, and I jumped right into it,” said Wright.
The passion that Fogel exuded for Rose and
his legacy was complimented at the ceremony by other speakers and those in
attendance.
“Our goal is to remain in the same location
and to serve this community and to uphold the values that were set forth when
the hospital started,” said President and CEO of Rose Medical Center Ryan Tobin
in an interview with the Chronicle. “I think we still live by those values
today so our goal is to continue the mission.”
Rabbi Jeffrey Kaye spoke of the commitment
to patients and families of Denver by following the examples of compassion and
excellence set forth by Rose Medical Center visionaries. In her speech, Lt.
Gov. Dianne Primavera officially declared Nov. 7 “The Power of Doing Right
Day,” a tribute to the ceremony’s theme.
The life of Rose has inspired many, and the
hospital has grown to be one of Denver’s most recognized. Rose Medical Center
has been named among the nation’s top 100 hospitals by IBM Watson for 12 years
in a row.
But the Rose Medical Center has not just
garnished a reputation as a paramount hospital, but also as a workplace that
feels like home.
One former member of the Rose Medical
Center public relations team told the Chronicle that returning to the hospital
to celebrate the 70th anniversary felt like a reunion.
“[Rose Medical Center] is really an
important part of my life,” said Beverly Petry. “People who have worked here
have always felt more like a family than just business colleagues. There’s
something in the DNA of Rose. It’s really about the focus on patients and being
collegial with doctors and that’s never changed.”
“Candles burning low, lots of mistletoe,
lots of snow and ice everywhere we go.” Those were the words that made Stevie
Wonder a miracle of popular music. This is the season when words set to music
melt our hearts. Thus as this year — seemingly more than any other — comes to
an end, “We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for Auld Lang Syne.”
As we bid farewell to 2019 and turn our
thoughts to 2020, we reflect on the year just past and ponder what to change
about ourselves, our lives and our community.
Here are our choices for shopping, dining
and entertainment to fill the holidays with food, fun and good fortune plus an
auspicious New Year full of kindness yet:
3 See
a live-action adaptation of the beloved children’s tale How The Grinch Stole
Christmas as he comes down from his mountaintop home to DCPA’s Buell Theatre
stage Dec. 3-8. Information: 303-893-4100.
3 Attend
this year’s Jewish Family Services Winter Soiree honor event at Infinity Park
Event Center Dec. 5, 6 p.m. Information: 720-428-4633.
3 Take
the kids for sandwiches and treats at the Oxford Hotel Dolls’ Tea with ballet
recital Dec. 8, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Information: 303-628-5400.
3 Wear
a tacky sweater for the Christmas Sweater 5K run-walk at Wash Park Dec. 15, 9
to 11 a.m. Information: coloradorunnersevents.com.
3 For
a relaxing weekend break from the busy holiday shopping season go to Denver’s
original brunch spot since 1971, the Bull & Bush Brewery. Brunch served
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Information: 303-759-0333.
3 For
your holiday travel needs and great gifts go to Colorado’s top luggage store
for nearly 40 years, Paradise Baggage. Select from premium travel luggage
that’s both sensible and stylish. Information: 303-320-4646.
3 Allow
the Colorado Symphony to march you into 2020 playing polkas, waltzes and
marches at Boettcher Dec. 31. Information: 303-893-4100.
3 Then
go to the 16th St. Mall to see New Year’s Eve Fireworks synced to music to
sparkle the city, 9 p.m. and midnight. Information: 303-233-8837.
3 Don’t
miss Denver Botanic Gardens’ signature holiday event for three decades, the
Blossoms of Light now through Jan. 3. The holiday extravaganza transforms the
York Street site into a twinkling winter wonderland. There are fresh and
exciting new features this year including a 360-degree immersive light
experience along with each year’s fun fan favorites, 5-9 p.m. Information:
720-865-3500.
Beyond diet and workout pledges, as the
ball drops and we pop champagne with family and friends, remember the New Year
stands for change. As we sing the Old Scottish folk song Auld Lang Syne, we
hope the nuance of the song’s message resonates with us even if most of us
don’t know the lyrics or even the song’s name.
As we pass the moments before midnight,
consider 2020 as an opening to replace this year’s social media bitterness and
hatred with brimming cups of kindness.
The song’s rhetorical question suggests, “a
cup o’ kindness” should be had in order to look back on the past and begin to
build for the future. It will make life so much better for family, friends and
those around us “for the sake of old times.” It is a chance to spark new
friendships and rekindle those we’ve allowed to fade. Happy New Year!
—
Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at
newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
The Winners And Losers Of Legalized Sports Betting In Colorado “One of the worst things that can happen to you in life is to win a bet on a horse at an early age.” Dan McGoorty
by Luke Schmaltz
On May 14, 2018, in a lawsuit filed by the
State of New Jersey, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the
Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992 was
unconstitutional. Removal of this piece of anti-gaming legislation opened the
sports betting floodgates. Currently, a deluge of widely accessible sports
wagering is fanning out across the nation and is steadily flowing to the north,
to the south, across the Midwest and toward the west coast.
Mobile Betting: Emptying your bank account is just a click away. App-based betting means no more waiting in line at the wagering window.
After the Garden State legalized sports
betting one month later, other states began following suit (19 total to date)
including New York, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Illinois and most recently, Colorado.
Currently, 18 more states including Kansas, Missouri, Texas and California are
introducing similar legislation that will allow anyone with an internet connection
or a mobile device to get in on the action. The indications are two-fold —
pointing to massive tax revenues for state programs along with daunting
potential for negative social impact.
In Colorado, the ballot measure that passed
by a narrow margin on November 5 will grant the 33 licensed casinos in Black
Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek the ability to offer betting on
collegiate, professional, Olympic and motor sports. Beginning in May 2020,
wagers can be placed in person at a casino sportsbook or online from anywhere
in the state. The second part of that allowance is where the issue compounds.
Widespread accessibility equates to more tax revenue and at the same time means
more inexperienced gamblers and folks who are simply prone to addictive
behavior will be blowing kisses from afar at lady luck.
The Good
Colorado Proposition DD passed by the
thinnest of margins — 50.8% to 49.2% to be exact — which equates to about
20,000 votes or so. It can be safely surmised that the idea won favor with voters
because it was introduced in conjunction with a previously passed bill applying
a 10% flat tax on sports betting.
This means that a sizable chunk of net
sports betting revenue will flow directly to the coffers of the Colorado Water
Conservation Board. These funds will be leveraged to implement the state’s
water plan (introduced by the office of former Governor John Hickenlooper) to
meet agricultural needs and the demands of a booming population. This explains
the appeal of the measure across so many demographics within a populace that is
seemingly more concerned with infrastructure planning, economic growth and
environmental issues and less adamant about the right to legally gamble on
Sunday’s big game.
For those who are adamant about their right
to legally wager on sports, the money is doubled, so to speak. Not only can
they gamble the game of their choosing without breaking the law, they can skip
waiting in line at the betting window and play the odds from the convenience of
their homes.
The Bad
Now that anyone in Colorado over 18 will
soon be able to gamble on any game at any time from anywhere, there’s an
excellent chance that the more pertinent issues listed above may be further
obscured by this newfangled vice. The best way to speculate on what is in store
for our Rocky Mountain State is to look back to New Jersey, where sports
betting has been legal for over a year. Officials from the Council of
Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) are expressing concern over the fact
that a 2019 Rutgers University survey discovered that 6.3 percent of state
residents have a gambling disorder — three times the national average.
Executive Director Neva Pryor explains: “It’s that accessibility that makes it
Legal In 2020: Sports betting will be legal in Colorado starting in May 2020. Bet on any aspect of any sport in real time from anywhere.
[gambling]
so easy.” Meanwhile, CCGNJ co-founder Arnie Wexler attests: “Two
years from now you won’t be able to get a seat in a Gamblers Anonymous room
because … people that never would gamble on sports illegally are now gambling
on sports.”
This is due largely to the fact that
participants are using online sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings and/or
mobile apps developed by individual casinos. The convenience of digital wager
placement and the allure of immediate payment have direct appeal to those who
subscribe to the instant gratification mindset. Couple that with rampant cell
phone addiction that is already in place for many, and you have another “double
your money” scenario. On this side of the coin, however, the odds play on the
inherent weaknesses of those prone to compulsive behavior.
The Ugly
Initially, the top four major professional
athletic leagues — NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL — opposed legalization of sports
gambling. Yet, since PASPA was overturned they have all quickly assimilated
into the marketplace to secure their cut of the action. The NFL has inked a
sponsorship deal with Caesars Palace while the other three leagues have similar
contracts in place with MGM Grand.
Instant: Legalized sports betting has instant gratification appeal.
The four entities above, along with boxing,
golf, horse racing, tennis, wrestling and many more (that means you, college
sports) have well-documented histories of game fixing, rigging schemes and
gambling infestations of many stripes. Now that the leagues themselves have a
direct interest in betting revenue, gambling terms like “house rules” and “the
fix is in” may take on meaning of a never-before-seen magnitude.
What’s more, ESPN and FOX Sports 1 both
have shows dedicated to sports betting. As the phenomenon sweeps the nation
state by state, the ubiquity of it all could spell a distinct change in how
events are called by sportscasters. Wager and odds-based commentary may become
the dominating aspects of the live broadcast narrative rather than the facts of
the contest at hand.
Finally, to top it all off with a formidable one-uppance, not only can mobile app gamblers wager on an event when it is still underway, they can also bet on just about any aspect of the game at hand. At any point during play, a bettor can wager on such factors as Brandon Allen getting sacked a certain number of times, Jamal Murray hitting his next three-pointer or whether Nolan Arenado connects with the next fastball. Whatever the sport — that’s one way to empty out a bank account in record time.
