Earlier this week, I sent the following email to Dana:
Dana--As you know, last month, when it became clear I could no longer continue as Director of Special Projects for the Town, I resigned. I also offered to continue to carry out the duties of that position on a volunteer basis, as I had been since we were notified on October 31 of DOH's determination that I was in violation of 24 CFR 570.611. On December 26, I agreed to continue as a volunteer as owner's representative and project manager, but not as clerk of the works, until the end of the project . At that time I asked you to inform our contacts at DOH and DECD of this arrangement.
Dana--As you know, last month, when it became clear I could no longer continue as Director of Special Projects for the Town, I resigned. I also offered to continue to carry out the duties of that position on a volunteer basis, as I had been since we were notified on October 31 of DOH's determination that I was in violation of 24 CFR 570.611. On December 26, I agreed to continue as a volunteer as owner's representative and project manager, but not as clerk of the works, until the end of the project . At that time I asked you to inform our contacts at DOH and DECD of this arrangement.
I asked for this mostly as a courtesy to the agencies. But in addition, because DOH did not respond substantively to our request for an exception to CFR 24 570.611 and clarification of the one-year clause it contains, and because both departments have responded minimally or not at all to my phone calls or emails since October 31, I thought it possible that any involvement on my part, paid or unpaid, might be a problem. So I felt clarification was in order, and through our grant administrators, you posed the question of my ongoing volunteer participation to DOH after our December 26 meeting.
I understand that despite repeated requests by you and Tyche, and despite a promise of an answer by last Friday, you still have not heard back. Since 24 CFR 570.611 pertains only to my financial benefit, the fact that the answer was not an immediate and unambiguous yes, and that our DOH contact felt the need to discuss the matter with DECD, indicates that the agencies have some other concerns about my involvement, paid or not. As a result, I fear that even if the eventual answer is yes, those concerns may continue to be problematic as we move forward. It doesn't really matter what they are or whether they are warranted. What matters is that it is not in the interests of the Town to have any uncertainty over project leadership with the agencies controlling the majority of our funding.
Time is short, and delay is expensive, and it just doesn't make sense to hold up the project any longer. So with great sadness, I am withdrawing my offer to volunteer to see the renovation through to completion. I am confident that you and the people you choose to replace me will succeed, and I will do whatever I can to help you toward that goal, starting with bringing my successor(s) up to date.
I apologize for my part in the confusion that led to this point, and for adding to your already heavy load. I wish you and everyone else involved the best, and I look forward to watching from the sidelines as the renovation project comes to fruition.
Regards,
Gary
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Not much to add here, except to say that, as a wise Scotlander (I think it was John Sweat) once said, there is no such thing as a grant fairy. Grants come with costs, including some loss of local control to bureaucrats and requirements that simply don't make sense. I am evidently on the wrong side of those factors. Despite everything, however, I think the $3.5 million we got to renovate Town Hall will prove a gift to all of us, and I am excited to see it pay off.
Not much to add here, except to say that, as a wise Scotlander (I think it was John Sweat) once said, there is no such thing as a grant fairy. Grants come with costs, including some loss of local control to bureaucrats and requirements that simply don't make sense. I am evidently on the wrong side of those factors. Despite everything, however, I think the $3.5 million we got to renovate Town Hall will prove a gift to all of us, and I am excited to see it pay off.