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Questionable Contracts Again Come Before Council
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CUSD Still ‘Not Out of the Woods’ as State Legislators Work Toward Final Budget
Earl
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Hutchinson:
Jackson Should Apologize to Blacks for His N-word Hypocrisy
Victory
Outreach Awarded Nearly $.5 M to Augment City Services
Some question
why work can’t be done in-house
By
Allison Jean Eaton
Bulletin Staff Writer
COMPTON – Community-based
organization and local church Victory Outreach will be paid almost
a half million dollars this year to supplement various services already
provided by city departments, including maintenance of streets, vacant
properties and the Compton Creek equestrian and bike trail.
The City Council voted unanimously July 8 to award the $473,000 contract
to the religiously-based organization led by Pastor Alex Leon that
is widely known for bringing ex-convicts and gang-bangers to the Lord
and providing rehabilitation and employment opportunities to those
whose felony records prevent them from obtaining work.
Mayor Eric J. Perrodin and Councilman Isadore Hall were absent.
The contract is broken down into two separate contracts: one for vacant
lots, properties and alley maintenance and the other for the creek.
The first comes at a price of $375,000, the latter $98,000.
City Manager Charles Evans said the city has contracted with Victory
Outreach to provide similar services, like park and lot cleanup, for
at least the past three years.
Some of the work Victory Outreach is now charged with overseeing, including
keeping the creek and trails in tip-top shape, was formerly contracted
out to the Long Beach Conservation Corps.
Although he would not say so directly, Evans hinted that the city was
not satisfied with the level of services the corps provided, which
lead to the decision to go with an entity that had a higher stake in
the community.
“We decided that we’ve got local guys who are really hungry
to do this stuff,” said Evans of the men and women employed by
Victory Outreach. “They are motivated to do this work.”
He also added that hiring a group from Compton will allow the city
to recycle its money within the community rather than spending it with
an organization headquartered outside city limits, therefore boosting
some other city’s sales-tax coffers.
“That’s the whole idea,” said Evans. “Whenever
you can buy it (goods or services) in Compton, those sales-tax dollars
come back to us.”
Leon told The Bulletin that his church saw a need in the community
and made a proposition.
“The city had a need, so we came in and proposed that we will
take up those issues in the community that need to be dealt with,” he
said.
His church’s rehabilitation program, he continued, stresses a
strong work ethic. “We try to offer them (members) that aspect
in the ministry.”
Leon came to Compton with his late wife in 1985 after himself completing
drug rehabilitation, launched the church and has been preaching and
reaching out to people on the streets ever since.
Outspoken resident and regular council meeting attendee Joyce Kelly
questioned why the contract was not put out to bid to give other locally
based churches and organizations a chance at the opportunity.
“They (Victory Outreach) do a fine job,” said the city
manager. “They
bring in people who have difficulty and problems in this community… That’s
something we think is very worthwhile to this community.
“Other organizations have the opportunity to submit proposals
at any time,” Evans added.
Kelly also questioned why the work Victory Outreach is being paid to
perform isn’t performed by city staffers within the departments
already charged with overseeing such work. Additionally, she questioned
the qualifications and certifications of Victory Outreach workers who
will be performing the work.
Evans told The Bulletin last week that the work to be performed by
the group does not require any kind of certification or use of machinery
or equipment. They will merely be providing “beautification” services
such as picking up trash and clearing rubbish.
Councilwoman Yvonne Arceneaux explained that often times the city’s
various departments simply do not get the job done in a timely or efficient
manner, forcing the city to contract out.
“We do have those departments that take care of certain areas
within the city. However, it’s not always done,” said Arceneaux.
She cited Raymond Street Park, a park in her district that has been
under construction for years and plagued by numerous delays, as a prime
example.
“Raymond Street Park has been an issue for years,” she
said. “We’re
having to contract out to rehab that park.”
In response, Kelly later said: “I’m saddened to hear that
you can’t get your employees to work for you.”
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