FRANK “PROCUREMENT DISASTER” WILSON’s legacy as the METRO chief during Bill White’s tenure as mayor took another blow today, as the FTA blasted the “old” METRO’s efforts to subvert “buy America” rules in signing a rail-car deal with a favored contractor. Here are various accounts of the news:
- FTA: Metro violated law; $900 million grant stalls (Michael Reed, Examiner News)
- FTA: Metro in violation of federal ‘Buy America’ requirements in light rail deal (KHOU-11 News)
- Rough road ahead as feds deal blow to METRO rail line (Mike Snyder and Bradley Olson, Houston Chronicle)
The Chron.com story continues to “evolve” in the usual annoying, nontransparent manner, so who knows what story/headline will be at this link by the morning! - FTA: METRO Made $900 Million Mistake (Jason Volentine, KIAH-39 News)
- FTA: METRO light rail plan violates federal laws (Wendy Siegle, KUHF-88.7 News)
Perhaps if Mr. Wilson had been vetted just a little bit more before he was hired, this setback to METRO and area transit users could have been avoided. Two big procurement screwups in his last two transit posts are not glittering r
