Franchot 'fed up' with 'sloppiness' at DJS
Comptroller Peter Franchot blasted the state Department of Juvenile Services for "administrative sloppiness" that led to a request this morning for the approval of $171 million in no-bid contracts for which work has already been performed.
DJS Secretary Donald W. DeVore said he has made personnel changes and warned his agency officials of "dire consequences" if they continue to circumvent state procurement procedure. He also said he is implementing better contract tracking tools, included a color-coded "dashboard."
"I'm fed up with it," Franchot said, adding that DeVore has "no credible explanation for why it happened." The multi-year contracts date to July 2008, though some were entered as recently as August of this year, and were uncovered by state auditors.
The exchange at the Board of Public Works followed an audit released last month that described procurement problems and other bureaucratic disorganization in Juvenile Services. The agency oversees juveniles charged with and found responsible for crimes and has an annual budget of about $275 million.
Franchot and fellow board member Treasurer Nancy Kopp have regularly said they detest retroactive approval requests of the sort DeVore was seeking.
Nonetheless, the board approved the $171 million expense, though Franchot voted against it. Kopp and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, sitting in for Gov. Martin O'Malley, voted in favor of the contracts.
The 61 contracts at issue are for licensed contractors to provide "residential and non-residential services" for juveniles in the court system. The services include group homes, foster care and home-based therapy.
Franchot urged DeVore to rebid the contracts in a competitive manner.
DeVore, a former federal monitor of juvenile programs, has served as DJS secretary for almost four years. Asked after the meeting whether he planned remain as secretary through O'Malley's second term, DeVore said he was having "private conversations" with the governor about that.
Comments
I'll say it now: "Franchot for Govenor 2014"
Posted by: Sturmy | November 17, 2010 4:14 PM
Seriously Franchot is man. I always feel like he's giving you the real deal and not some political BS.
I'll second that nomination "Franchot for Govenor 2014"
Posted by: jayslick | November 17, 2010 6:20 PM
"Nonetheless, the board approved the $171 million expense, though Franchot voted against it. Kopp and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, sitting in for Gov. Martin O'Malley, voted in favor of the contracts."
Franchot is SUCH a rebel. NOT!
Posted by: HarlanR | November 17, 2010 7:17 PM
Brown and Kopp also out-voted Franchot and agreed to give Motorola a $345,000,000 contract for a statewide radio system contract, even though the winning bid is still under protest with the Board of Appeals.
Franchot *is* the man. But he is outnumbered by dimwits on the BOPW.
Posted by: Jim | November 17, 2010 9:20 PM
He is the man, and his willing to go against the powers that be in order to do the right thing. I am a Repub, but I could get behind this guy. and trust me I have no agenda here.
Posted by: Sturmy | November 18, 2010 10:48 AM
Someone needs to check out the current situation with the MD Department of Corrections and their RFP/Contract for healthcare services.....this is crazy!
www.cmsdoesnotcare.com
Posted by: Mark Adams | November 18, 2010 11:13 AM
I'm a pretty conservative Democrat who votes Republican at least half the time -- more than that, actually -- but Franchot's earned my support if he decides to run for governor. He asks hard questions, cuts through the BS and doesn't toe the party line like the rest of those guys. I don't always agree with him, but I do respect him and will continue to vote for him.
Posted by: Hale Thorpe | November 19, 2010 12:23 AM