The state鈥檚 contracting watchdog panel moved one step closer Monday to getting the investigative staff it has sought since its inception 13 years ago.
The Government Administration and Elections Committee voted 16-0 to approve a bill mandating that the five investigative posts sought by the State Contracting Standards Board be filled before the first quarter of the next fiscal year ends, in late September.
also would expand the contracting board鈥檚 authority to probe quasi-public agencies and would shield it from any emergency budget reductions once the fiscal year is underway. The latter provision would match protection the legislature has long provided to other major watchdog groups such as the Freedom of Information and Elections Enforcement commissions and the Office of State Ethics.
鈥淚 was thrilled it was bipartisan and unanimous, and I hope that means there鈥檚 a real shot at having a fully functioning, fully independent contracting standards board in the state of 海角换妻 after 15 years,鈥� Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Windham, co-chairwoman of the committee, said after the meeting.
Pressure from legislators to strengthen the contracting watchdog has intensified since early February following reports that school construction work and other projects once overseen by Gov. Ned Lamont鈥檚 former deputy budget director, .
A federal grand jury issued for all emails, text messages and attachments involving Diamantis and a broad range of construction projects on Oct. 20, eight days before the governor鈥檚 office removed Diamantis from his budget post and suspended him without pay from his other role as director of the school construction program.
Contracting board Chairman Lawrence Fox called Monday鈥檚 vote 鈥渁 good sign. 鈥� I think we can help to steer the culture of competitive bidding and transparency in the state鈥� government.
But it remained unclear Monday whether Lamont would support the measure.
Prior to the Diamantis scandal, Lamont had said the contracting standards board was performing watchdog functions already performed by other agencies, something that Fox and other advocates for the board have rejected.
The board was the linchpin of the created in 2007 by the Democrat-controlled legislature and Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, 海角换妻鈥檚 response to the contracting scandals that drove Republican Gov. John G. Rowland from office amid an impeachment inquiry in July 2004. Rowland later served 10 months in federal prison after admitting he accepted about $100,000 in gifts from state contractors and his staff.
The board was empowered to review Executive Branch agencies鈥� contracting processes to ensure they were transparent, cost-efficient and in compliance with the law. It also would have authority to suspend any procurement effort deemed improper.
But not long after its creation the state would fall into the Great Recession, state government finances would slip into the red, and legislators and Rell would siphon away nearly all resources, leaving the volunteer standards board with no staff.
An executive director would be hired in 2011, but no additional staff was added as the Democratic governors鈥� that succeeded Rell 鈥� Dannel P. Malloy and Lamont 鈥� both questioned the need for the watchdog group.
The contracting board sought permission last spring to begin probing a 海角换妻 Port Authority contract for renovations to the state pier in New London. The pier is a key staging point to help development of a major offshore wind-to-energy project.
Lawmakers expanded the board鈥檚 authority to review this quasi-public agency and included $450,000 to increase staffing. But, in a last-minute concession to Lamont, the legislature .
This year, though, Lamont softened his position somewhat. His new budget proposal in February did not include new funding directly for the contracting board, but the governor did recommend empowering the group to make referrals to the state auditors鈥� office 鈥� which has no enforcement power. Lamont also recommended adding three positions to the auditors鈥� staff to accommodate any referrals from the contracting board.
Max Reiss, the governor鈥檚 communications director, said Monday that 鈥淕overnor Lamont has been on the record stating his support for the contracting standards board having the tools it needs to be effective.鈥�
But if by 鈥渢ools鈥� Lamont means access to the auditors鈥� office but no additional staff, Fox said, the contracting board can鈥檛 be effective.
When asked to clarify whether the governor now would fund five investigative posts within the contracting standards board office to work with its executive director, Reiss said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a legitimate proposal. We will take a look at it.鈥�
Besides mandating that the full investigative staff sought by the contracting board be hired, the bill approved in committee on Monday also would expand the watchdog鈥檚 authority to probe all quasi-public agencies created by the legislature, not just the 海角换妻 Port Authority.
But even if the full legislature and Lamont agree on this measure, it wouldn鈥檛 be effective unless 鈥� this time 鈥� they also fund the new positions.
Fox said Monday that 鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful鈥� this will happen. 鈥淏ut after last year, I wouldn鈥檛 say I鈥檓 confident.鈥�
