WDET News
- Synagro Deal Could Be Overturned Soon
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Jul 22, 2008General
The Detroit City Council will decide next week if it plans to overturn a controversial contact.
Currently, the FBI is investigating alleged bribery related to the city council’s approval of a contract for sludge hauler Synagro Technologies last fall. Several council members have been questioned. City staff and some outside individuals connected to the company are also under scrutiny.
On Tuesday, the council postponed action to rescind the Synagro deal until its formal session next week. Even though several members have voiced the will to overturn the contract, the council’s legal and research and analysis divisions say now is not the time… since the Federal investigation has not lead to any charges or convictions. The reports advise council to hold hearings and investigate the matter itself before undertaking any vote against Synagro.
Council President Ken Cockrel says he’s not sure if the council has the credibility for such an action.
“Can we really engage in a discussion of investigating ourselves when you don’t necessarily know what the person sitting next to you on the other side of the table may have gotten up to on this? That’s the issue there. I’ve got to call that out and be very frank and very realistic. I think that’s the issue with any self investigation of city council on this.”
Cockrel says he’s concerned that nixing the Synagro deal before indictments are handed up could open the door to a major lawsuit… costing the City of Detroit more than the $47 million it expects to pay the sludge company.