Seeking an objective analysis of water and sewer utilities, Wichita considers a firm that has obstacles to objectivity.
This week the Wichita City Council will consider awarding a contract for “optimization” of the city’s water and sewer utilities. The firm that city staff is recommending for the contract should not be chosen.
The city says there were three criteria it used in selecting a firm: Long term or short term need, required expertise, and objectivity. Having expertise in the subject matter is, of course, important. Right after that is objectivity. But in making the case for awarding the contract to a company named CH2M Hill, the city lists a number of local projects the company was involved with. The city promotes these as “knowledge of the local situation.” Also mentioned are the local residents already working for CH2M Hill.
Having local Wichita residents as employees and having been responsible for creating some of Wichita’s water and sewer utility infrastructure are factors that work against an objective analysis. Can we imagine this company objectively analyzing the ASR project after having built or managed a substantial portion of the project?
This is vitally important, as the ASR project has been underperforming and shows little progress.
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