By Chris Lamendola
The awarding of Colliers, actually Strategic Building Solutions (their own words, just look at their bid, Strategic Building Solutions … dba Colliers) the OPM contract to build the new schools is an insult to every taxpayer in East Greenwich. They don’t even publicly disclose their fee in their proposal*. Do the Town Council and members of the Building Committee have any shame after what they did to the homes and families on Sarah’s Trace, their intimate involvement in the damage perpetrated on us, the taxpayers, never mind keeping the former elected officials in charge of the Cole project in the dark about continuing damage to our homes, keeping the fact that they hired an attorney who had done work for contractor Gilbane a secret without informed consent is outrageous.
Who in their right mind would rehire the same firm and pay them millions of dollars again after their scandalous behavior. Politicians always say “it takes a village,” so why would those in charge allow someone who destroyed villager’s homes and property to come back and reward them with more taxpayer’s money? Would you allow a contractor who botched and bungled an addition to your home come back and do another project on your home?
The Town Council, Building Committee, community members on the Committee, failure to find out the facts surrounding Cole damage and Colliers (aka Strategic Building Solutions) is disgraceful. The Town Council and School Committee failure to hold those responsible is reprehensible.
Colliers’ Jonathan Winikur and Co. must be all laughing how foolish our elected officials in East Greenwich are!
Those who refuse to do their due diligence are sure to repeat their past mistakes! Abutters to these projects should be prepared!
*Editor’s note: Their bid is approximately $5.412,157 million as based in the Stage II application; the contract is being finalized. Read more HERE.
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I have to agree here as I went to a presentation given by Mr. Lamendola at the EG Police station. After seeing what was presented, the emails and evidence that was shown, never mind the damage pictures which was shocking, I can’t see ever hiring this firm for anything. I didn’t see one politician there! The gall of these contractors to come back to EG after what happened with the Cole project, the crap they pulled, is outrageous. But what is REALLY outrageous is our elected officials allowing these people to come back and feed again off the taxpayers is an embarrassment to say the least! Talk about rubbing it in! The Town should have made these scoundrels pay for Sarah’s Trace damage before they even considered this firm!
The attitude represented in that email is more than disgraceful, it is negligence! Not wanting to “deal” with taxpayer’s homes that are being destroyed and damaged is so unprofessional when their duty was to represent, protect the town and taxpayers. How did this firm get back into the graces of the town after this fiasco! Are our current officials asleep? Ashamed isn’t the word, the elected officials should resign in disgrace, the firm fired and the residents with damaged homes should be compensated finally and end this horrible EG episode. If not, who would trust those running this new bond project. Don’t hold your breath.
Wasn’t this entire matter litigated and ended some 10+ yrs ago ? If you have issue with the towns’ government, why haven’t you run for local office or sold your still standing home and just moved outta the area?
It was. Awarded for nuisance harm by jury, and a judge said they weren’t entitled to damages. I hope they can find some peace and move on eventually.
So tell me Jay, how could the Judge possibly say they weren’t entitled to damages? How can you win so much money in a nuisance award and not be able to get real damages? I saw the presentation and ALL the pictures of damage (it’s unbelievable!) at the presentation and these were admitted in court? My God, his heating flues were dislodged! This sounds like a typical inside RI justice scam (I know a guy State). So as asked by Marge where are the answers from the town on her inquiries and how is this firm involved allowed back?. I’m curious, aren’t you? Your house destroyed, not compensated and you just move on, really? I guess only in EG.
WOW Randy, your lack of compassion to residents in which their homes and property were destroyed is less than compassionate. If you could explain what these residents did wrong, why they had to litigate, and why the town took the side of the contractors during litigation with the help of the firm Colliers/SBS. I haven’t heard the town’s explanation or why they didn’t support these residents during litigation when as I understand the Town admits it damaged their homes during Cole construction. Do our elected officials respect homeowners’ property rights? Don’t you and all of us as taxpayers deserve those answers as well as why they rehired the same firm? Really your “run for local office or sold your still standing home and just moved outta the area?” So please explain what they did wrong? You epitomize what has become the nauseating undesirable attitude that has become East Greenwich. Boy do I miss the ole EG and those who wouldn’t have let this happen, never-mind rehire those involved in this fiasco.
wow back at u Marge!
what happened 14 yrs ago is over. elected officials, companies change, people change.
let’s stop living in past and deal with today.
I lived at 1545 South Road, I can’t run the office nor stop the town government. I moved out of town. That’s the only way I can do. East Greenwich is a good place to live, I am willing to move back if we have a good leader…