Update–School Construction Chief Quits; Setback To $800 Million Bond Spending?

 

BY BUDDY NEVINS

 

Broward schools’ chief construction officer is leaving, which could deal another setback to the $800 bond referendum projects, according to several sources.

Derek Messier, who was hired by Superintendent Robert Runcie to oversee the massive construction program, is going back to Chicago.

In meetings last week with the School Board members, Messier told them that he is returning to Chicago because his wife, who still lives there, recently had twins. Messier recently returned from a month-long leave in Chicago.

Runcie media office, as has been unfortunately typical under his administration, stonewalled inquiries about Messier’s departure.  After complaints from School Board members, Runcie then distributed a memo saying there would be no delay in the bond programs.

The bond program is already running months behind the original timetable given voters.

Messier was at the Broward Schools a year and his family never moved from Chicago.  Some believe that because of his earlier association with the Chicago Schools where Runcie was once employed,  the job was steered to him.

An examination of the score sheets from the Broward Schools selection committee that picked Messier indicate he was chosen mostly by staff who have nothing to do with construction.  His resume indicates that at his last job, Messier had a job involving far less money that he was in charge of at the Broward Schools — $400 million over five years compared,  to almost $1 billion in Broward.

In Chicago, the facilities job involved closing schools rather than a large scale building program. Chicago has been labeled one of the worst large public systems in the nation since the 1980s., with low graduation rates and continued financial crises.

 

Derek resume

 

 

 

Runcie Letter on Messier

 



26 Responses to “Update–School Construction Chief Quits; Setback To $800 Million Bond Spending?”

  1. Commissioner Angelo Castillo says:

    Buddy,

    School Board would be very wise to consider creating a school construction authority, like the one in NYC or other large jurisdictions have, to oversee not just construction but also maintenance of school buildings.

    It would be very wise of them to examine that, because that feeling of “control” they sense the need for on this issue is “choking” them. There’s just too much to do to keep that system running to also run a large scale construction company on the side through a committee governance structure.

    Face it, these folks know nothing about running a construction company with many multiply proceeding projects. They have enough to do trying to run schools. Smarter to do the things you know how to do well rather than also insisting on doing those you can’t now and have never performed well.

    Angelo

  2. Andrew Ladanowski says:

    Wow no impact on Bond. That’s a big promise. It will definitely have an impact. Public will tolerate the delay as long as they get it right. Haste makes waste.

  3. Sto says:

    The bond was a scam by the school board on the Broward Taxpayers.

  4. Senior PMS says:

    Well Buddy and interested sports fans everywhere the truth is the delay in the construction program is leaving. Nothing has been accomplished under this year long comedy of errors. Without stepping on the Score Keeper’s toes let us add up the score.

    New software program to track project schedules and financials in one place. Nope

    New management organization (unlike the failed current one) in place to manage a billion capital dollars. Nope

    Completed projects by the current outside program manager now in place for two years. Zero

    Advertise and hire new program manager authorized to manage bond program. Nope

    Started any new projects during the year he has been here. Nope

    Started any old projects that are not being investigated. Nope

    So sports fans depending on which side of the coin you want to choose he is either batting 1000 or zero, take your pick. The amazing statistic will be how upper management will continue the spin of how they are and have successful.

  5. juliet hibbs says:

    Of course, Mr Runcie will now begin to blame those he hired! And the bond won’t be behind? How? What about all the repairs that haven’t been done, from before the bond was passed! Robert W. Runcie is a criminal (covers crimes against children, plays games with student and staff safety) and he NEEDS to go. But, of course, the Futile Ladies of Broward have given him a new contract, without ANY community input. These useless and worthless ladies need to go too…..the ORDERED an investigation into DBHS and the abuse of Jon Marlow in June 2012! These useless ladies can’t even ask to see the investigation THEY ORDERED. The board is figurehead alone. All for show and the criminal Runcie runs it all…..refuses to follow laws or educated ALL of Broward children. But here, I am only preaching to the choir

  6. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    Stone-walling, set backs, delay, deny etc. in regards to your records request Buddy. Me, Buddy I will never, never make a public records request that I don’t aready know the answer(usually). I get this info, tips, etc. from the residents and also a variety of staff, personal etc.(how could I lose). So keep on them Buddy. Call, email every day make them aware that you are not going away. Show the POI depts. let the cat out of the bag. Also why you want thi s info is none of their business. Its public record and if they don’t like it to bad. Here in Ft>lau its been brought to my attention that we have a… having an same sex affair w/ her subordinate . Want to whore around, cheat on your spouse(subordinate)(husband) then do it on your dime and not the cities. One resigned , an d the other is still working as if nothing happened(the subordinate). This will change.. Keep on them Buddy and thank you for all th e updates. Who gives a rats ass if the Super took you off his face-book, twitter etc. Again thank you….

  7. Nick Sakhnovsky says:

    When will the so-called bond oversight committee actually have a quorum and be fully functional?

  8. Chaz Stevens, MAOS says:

    Walsh.

    You’ve gone right past “full retard” and headed into “potatoe” territory.

  9. Just asking says:

    Buddy, from your article;
    “Messier recently returned from a month-long leave in Chicago”. “Messier was at the Broward Schools a year and his family never moved from Chicago”. How much time (vacation/sick) did Mr. Messier earn during his stay with Broward Schools? Was his earned time (vacation/sick) enough to cover ALL the time he took off or was gone from Broward Schools? Just asking!

    Your article; “Some believe that because of his earlier association with the Chicago Schools where Runcie was once employed, the job was steered to him”. Does anyone know if a job was steered to someone in December 2012? Just asking!

  10. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    #8 The Hethen. I bet he has a small penis huh Chaz…..

  11. Randy Diez says:

    I am all for people expressing their opinions …however I think it is wrong that you posted this man’s personal information. I am sure you would not want your address and phone number posted. Before you go accusing me of knowing him I don’t … we just need to remember a little human decency when we debate the issues that affect us all.

  12. Sam The Sham says:

    Just to be clear, the absence of the building chief will do nothing to slow down the frittering away of the $800M. It will however slow down any actual building. Don’t get the two mixed up.

  13. carolina says:

    Please do not “lump” Nora Rupert into the school board ladies group. She was not in favor of the bond, she was not in favor of extending the contract of the man from Chicago till 2019 that the other board ladies chose to do. After reading that the Chicago school system was one of the worst in the nation dating back to the 1980’s, why did the board ladies even give this man any consideration into running the Broward School System? How was he able to “sell himself” to them? Are there any positive happenings in our school system since he came on board? We need to remove these “board ladies” , with the exception of Nora, & try to get some order & results in “our house”. Our students & teachers deserve better – not to mention us taxpayers who really had their best interests at heart when we voted NO on the bond & lost. Ignorance is Bliss certainly applies in this sad situation. Stick with us Nora, we need you.

  14. Exhausted says:

    It is so hard to keep up with all the changes with the district’s administration. For Mr. Runcie to say this should not cause any delays to the Bond program just makes me exhausted. Jeff Moquin is going to be asked to keep an eye on it? Wow, that makes me feel so scared. I have to agree with “Another One Gone” from the last post. With 40% of the positions not filled in Runcie’s cabinet, you just have to wonder who is navigating the boat. The problem becomes the voters will not blame Runice, they will blame the Leading Ladies. It is so hard to tell who is the boss, Runcie or the Leading Ladies? Right now it looks like Runcie. Come on Ladies figure out you need to start driving the boat. Blind support will not be helpful as the boat begins to sink. Help, Help, I am sinking. Throw him off the boat!!!!! Lead Ladies Lead!

  15. Exhausted says:

    With the resignation of Messier, it is hard to tell how this loss of another cabinet level administrator cannot hurt the bond. The bond is already behind and trying to keep up with who is going to run this $900 million program makes me EXHAUTED! Runcie says Moquin. When does he have the time to do this? I think it is time for the Leading Ladies to decided who is navigating this boat? It looks like to me the Ladies are still blindly following their employee, Runcie. All of this is going to blow up on the Leading Ladies. When you allow your employee, Runice, to sink the boat. The public will only remember the Leading Ladies did not do their jobs. All I ask is Lead, Ladies, Lead! Get Runice off the boat. No one can afford to blindly follow him any more.

  16. Becky Blackwood says:

    Buddy,
    I noticed you did not mention Mr. Messier’s education – a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a 1 year Masters in Business Administration. That certainly should qualify him for the Chief Facilities Officer. Let’s see, we have had Facilities Chiefs who were aeronautical engineers, nautical engineers,a prison contractor, a vocational technology administrator, a physical education teacher and only one architect/construction experienced individual who they fired because he knew what he was doing but not fast enough to meet the political promises of the Board members when he was here in the late 1990’s. Mr. Messier’s did not have construction experience. He was not familiar with Florida Building Code or the State Requirements for Educational Facilities code requirements in building schools in Broward County. Oh, I forgot the Sunshine law – he didn’t know that one too. Neither did the other Chiefs mentioned above. Politics need to be removed from the construction program at Broward Schools. It is now time to hire a competent Architect/Contractor with State of Florida educational construction program experience not because they are attractive nor they tell the Board what they want to hear but an honest, qualified individual.
    Start with an interview committee who understands the importance of personal experience in design and construction of educational facilities; can recognize those qualifications in a resume and does the background checks necessary to insure the candidate understands the necessity and importance of quality construction, sustainability design and code compliance. Start with human resource personnel who can recognize a qualified individual with the appropriate experience; then an interview committee with design and construction experience. Someone who can clean up all of the problems left by Mr. Messier, including the present personnel in Facilities who made expensive mistakes that costs the taxpayers more than a million dollars.

  17. Leenie says:

    Runcie should leave while he’s ahead or before he falls on his head!!!

  18. Leadership for Dummies says:

    Well I’d say Runcies really batting 1,000! Now we can add Chief Facilities & Construction Officer to the list of vacancies in his leadership team. Other vacancies include Chief School Performance & Accountability Officer (no big loss), Chief Talent Development Officer, Executive Director of Instruction & Interventions, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Director of ESE & Support Services. Let’s not forget that he just recently finally replaced the Chief Academic Officer after the former CAO resigned. He also lost his Chief Information Officer after he made his shady Lenovo deal but Runcie raised the salary band and rehired him after he was fired from Georgia. How did I forget Runcie’s buddy, Chester Tindall, former Director of Transportation?
    I don’t know what to say about this track record but I’m sure it’s nothing Bob and Jeff can’t handle.

  19. City Activist Robert Walsh says:

    #17 it certainly looks that way regarding Mr.Runcie…

  20. Becky Basher says:

    Becky, the issue with the educational background of the chief facilities officer should center around whether the individual has a master’s degree and documented experience running a similar size program with professional staff to achieve an organizational objectives. Reliance on the appropriate qualified staff is the essential element of a good leader.

    Ronald Reagan was an actor by profession. General McCrystal now teach at Harvard business school

  21. Leadership For Dummies says:

    Well I’d say Runcie’s really batting 1,000! Now we can add Chief Facilities & Construction Officer to the list of vacancies in his leadership team. Other vacancies include Chief School Performance & Accountability Officer (no big loss), Chief Talent Development Officer, Executive Director of Instruction & Interventions, Chief Human Resources Officer and Executive Director of ESE & Support Services. Let’s not forget that he just recently finally replaced the Chief Academic Officer after the former CAO resigned. He also lost his Chief Information Officer after he made his shady Lenovo deal but Runcie raised the salary band and rehired him after he was fired from Georgia. How did I forget Runcie’s buddy, Chester Tindall, former Director of Transportation?
    I don’t know what to say about this track record but I’m sure it’s nothing Bob and Jeff can’t handle.

  22. Count LF Chodkiewicz Chudzikiewicz says:

    As someone who reads MORE THAN HE WRITES, I see the SAT Scores are at a 10 year LOW and Jewish news sites are writing more and more about PRIVATE Jewish schools for non-observant Jews because of the low level of public schools here IN SOUTH FLORIDA! My neighbor two houses over in Ft. Lauderdale did NOT move into the house he renovated because his daughters would NOT go to the low grade Ft Lauderdale High Schools from their Miami high school! These are FACTS I have read or heard with my OWN EYES and EARS. This adds to the comments two Ft Lauderdale High School Seniors told me last year that their schoolmates don’t care about school work, and have ZERO INTEREST IN COLLEGE or HIGHER EDCUATION! The School Board is useless, the School Administration clueless, the students apparently “listless”., MAYBE THE TEACHERS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CARE ABOUT EDUCATION? But, it is obvious no decent parent would expose their child to the low grade circus that is public education in Broward County

  23. Becky Blackwood says:

    To Becky Basher”

    So how did those Facilities Chiefs do I listed above from the 1990’s to the present? Guess who hired the Facilities and Construction Department’s staff. You may want to spend some time reading those Grand Jury reports from 1990’s to the present – they are enlightening.

    One example, Messier wanted to substitute galvanized aluminum for stainless steel for roofing accessories and flashing. He believed he could save a lot of money for the District. Only problem is galvanized would be rusted out before the half life of the roof requiring its replacement and probably a portion or all of the roof. He did not understand the salt air environment we live in.
    He was also reducing other contract specifications to “save” money which would have cost the District more money during the life cycle of the 40 years of a building in maintenance and replacement costs.

    Reagan – “trickle down” economics-today income inequality.
    Also removal of law requiring news reporting agencies to only report the truth.

    The General – led our forces into Desert Storm on behalf of Saudi Arabia.

    We see things differently.

  24. Dear Countless says:

    Ft Lauderdale High School is one of the best high schools in the country. THAT is a fact.
    http://www.gflalliance.org/news/2012/05/11/education-news/the-college-board-recognizes-fort-lauderdale-high-school-2012-gaston-caperton-inspiration-award-of-25-000/#.VeiWUYc-D-Y

  25. Becky Basher says:

    Becky,
    I do not think we are far apart in understanding the issues of a good leader. As per my previous post the point I am trying to make is that a good CFO will make business and policy decisions while considering the technical advice from the appropriate technical experts.

    Your example of the roofing accessories is a good observation. So, is the first cost present value of Stainless steel accessories as opposed to galvanized aluminum, more cost effective when the math of present value dollars is evaluated against future value dollars? i.e. purely a business decision best left to a business executive like a MBA !!!!

    Stainless steel accessories will out-last the useful life cycle of the roof, so when the roof gets replaced, then what happens to the existing stainless steel accessories.

  26. Becky Blackwood says:

    To Becky Basher:

    Two components in the CFO decision making –
    1. The subject knowledge and field experience of the CFO and the technical expert.

    2. The ethical conduct of the CFO and the technical expert if they place truth above financial gain and political pressure and approval.