Slog
News & ArtsFriday, January 29, 2010
City Conflict of Interest Prompts McGinn to Reopen Seawall Replacement Bidding
Posted by Dominic Holden on Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 5:45 PM
Mayor Mike McGinn announced this evening that the city is reissuing a request for bids to rebuild the downtown seawall after discovering that one of his advisers is married to an employee of a company seeking work for the contract. From a statement issued a few minutes ago:
Christopher Bushnell, an advisor to McGinn, disclosed that his wife Megan Bushnell is a marine biologist for a consulting firm that was part of a larger group seeking work last fall on the seawall project. Bushnell’s wife was not part of the team seeking the contract and would not perform work on the seawall.However, to avoid the appearance of conflict, McGinn and the Seattle Department of Transportation decided to reject the four existing bids for design work and reopen the process...
Bushnell, who used to go by the last name Haugen, has a controversial past.
McGinn wants taxpayers to shell out $241 million for a seawall replacement by approving a ballot measure this spring. His office's full statement appears after the jump.
The City of Seattle is reissuing the request for qualifications for design work to replace the downtown seawall, following disclosure by a policy advisor in the mayor’s office of a potential conflict of interest.
Mayor Mike McGinn announced on Jan. 14 that safety concerns had prompted him to seek a $241 million ballot measure to expedite replacement of the deteriorating seawall. He met with the City Council on Monday to discuss details of the project, including his proposal for a May special election.
Christopher Bushnell, an advisor to McGinn, disclosed that his wife Megan Bushnell is a marine biologist for a consulting firm that was part of a larger group seeking work last fall on the seawall project. Bushnell’s wife was not part of the team seeking the contract and would not perform work on the seawall.
However, to avoid the appearance of conflict, McGinn and the Seattle Department of Transportation decided to reject the four existing bids for design work and reopen the process, formally called a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The new RFQ will include criteria emphasizing speed and public involvement, to align with the mayor’s call for an accelerated work schedule.
In addition, McGinn referred the conflict question to the city’s Ethics and Elections Commission for review. Questions about the bidding process should be directed to SDOT Director Grace Crunican’s office.
4
I like the bit that this lets the mayor retool the seawall RFQ to his liking now. A more cynical person than I might be tempted to suppose this is another reason he was so glad to hire Chris Bushnell.
5
Another dropped ball... What is this one a day. So two things here: either there was some overly sensitive people who fear any possible on any level conflict of interest and wasting everyone's time on reopening a process or that to benefit his own family is the reason why the seawall fiasco even started. either way it looks like amateurs and i would not trust this team to build and finance the seawall to protect the city.
but of course this was just a ploy to kill the tunnel. never mind.
but of course this was just a ploy to kill the tunnel. never mind.
6
You know, hiring a convicted felonm as your human services go-to guy, then hiring his wifes company for a project, then having to make a very public apology and restart looks less like transparency than buffoonary.
7
Waitaminute... it's fairly unusual for a male to take his wife's last name. Not that there's anything wrong with that, especially if it's more euphonius/easily pronounced/spelled... but in this case there's at least the possibility that the major motivation was to conceal past misdeeds.
On the other hand: I don't know jack about UW student politics, and even less about the way your mayor's office works, but I do believe everyone deserves an opportunity to redeem himself, especially after more than ten years. At the present time, Mr. Bushnell appears to have done the right thing. I hope his conduct remains above reproach, and I hope the Stranger helps by continuing to keep a close eye on this sort of thing. It's just about the best thing a feisty independent weekly can do for its constituency. Just ask any of the OCWeekly alums (prior to the VVM takeover.)
On the other hand: I don't know jack about UW student politics, and even less about the way your mayor's office works, but I do believe everyone deserves an opportunity to redeem himself, especially after more than ten years. At the present time, Mr. Bushnell appears to have done the right thing. I hope his conduct remains above reproach, and I hope the Stranger helps by continuing to keep a close eye on this sort of thing. It's just about the best thing a feisty independent weekly can do for its constituency. Just ask any of the OCWeekly alums (prior to the VVM takeover.)
8
@7 - it is?
I'll tell my brother Dave that he wasn't supposed to change his name when he got married.
I'll tell my brother Dave that he wasn't supposed to change his name when he got married.
9
He changed his name because he's trying to escape his past. Duh.
I assume that when they hired him they talked to him about his felony and satisfied themselves that he really is reformed. It's easy to say "oh no!" but unless you believe that released felons should just be starved to death on the street he deserves whatever opportunities for redemption he can qualify for. I hope he doesn't become a stick to beat McGinn with.
I assume that when they hired him they talked to him about his felony and satisfied themselves that he really is reformed. It's easy to say "oh no!" but unless you believe that released felons should just be starved to death on the street he deserves whatever opportunities for redemption he can qualify for. I hope he doesn't become a stick to beat McGinn with.
10
Right now McGinn doesn't need anyone else providing the sticks - he's doing fine at giving himself public black eyes.
12
And Mc Ginn is as fat as the other guy .... geez.
Mr Frump and Rump.
The Student Mayor.
(was it Gloria Gaynor who sings "I will survive" ...)
Mr Frump and Rump.
The Student Mayor.
(was it Gloria Gaynor who sings "I will survive" ...)
13
Is being able to vote an important qualification for advising the mayor? I can think of plenty of guys who are able to vote who I wouldn't want within a thousand yards of the mayor.
14
#13
This is the new no fangs Fnarf?
Or, is the Student Mayor supposed to get a lot of space?
The spoils system is working well at city hall - if you worked for this guy - you have the inside track. Simple.
So far - aside his claque - few are impressed. But we will be very nice, won't we Franf with no fangs.
This is the new no fangs Fnarf?
Or, is the Student Mayor supposed to get a lot of space?
The spoils system is working well at city hall - if you worked for this guy - you have the inside track. Simple.
So far - aside his claque - few are impressed. But we will be very nice, won't we Franf with no fangs.
15
The bids for the Seawall Replacemnet went out last year. Chris Bushnell was hired by the Mayor on Monday. 60+ firms bid on the project and all the bids are being tossed out because Mr Bushnell's young entry-level biologist wife, who won't be working on the project, happens to work at one of the 60+ firms.
We all know why this was done and it's not the reason the Mayor's office gave. Let's not fool ourselves.
We all know why this was done and it's not the reason the Mayor's office gave. Let's not fool ourselves.
16
C'mon. If it was just a conflict of interest that led them to re-release the RFQ, they would have released the exact same RFQ. Re-releasing the RFQ had nothing to do with a conflict of interest. It's a convenient excuse.
Never trust a press release that goes out at 5:30 p.m. on Friday or on Super Bowl Sunday.
Never trust a press release that goes out at 5:30 p.m. on Friday or on Super Bowl Sunday.
17
What if they had done nothing? The foil hat brigade would have gone crazy and blasted McGinn for covering up a "conflict". Maybe McGinn overreacted, but wouldn't you rather he be super ethical than the alternative?
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
Hating People Doesn't Make Them Thinner by Jen Graves
-
Los Angeles Gay Bar Bans Bachelorette Parties Until Marriage Equality Is Attained by David Schmader
-
Fill in the Blank by Grant Brissey
-
This Reminds Me of the Great Calculator Scare of the Late '70s/Early '80s by David Schmader
-
Idiot Tries to Defend Bigoted Anti-Gay-Marriage Preacher on Anderson Cooper by Paul Constant
-
Six Moms with Too Much Time on Their Hands and a Shitty Website Decide to Fight Gay Superheroes by Paul Constant
-
Why Mayor McGinn's Wife Canceled Her Family's Seattle Times Subscription by Eli Sanders
-
What the Hell Is Wrong With Seattle's Pride Parade? by Dominic Holden
-
The Saturday Morning News by Unpaid Intern
-
NYC Man Ticketed for Not Riding in the Bike Lane by Jonathan Golob
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (17) RSS