Carolina Journal’s Barry Smith delivers $89,000 worth of bad news for taxpayers.
Late last month, State Auditor Beth Wood produced an audit finding that the state Division of Purchase and Contract had lax oversight of retread contracts, letting the contractor raise its prices 30 percent price increase while producing substandard tires that cost taxpayers $89,000. The contract was with White’s Tire Service in Wilson.
The tires provided by White’s did not meet the bid specifications for rubber compounds. In addition, the bid required a minimum tread depth of 24/32 inches. White’s supplied DOT with 65 retreads that had a tread depth of 18/32 inches, 25 percent less than required, according to the audit.
At least there’s this:
In a letter to Wood, Secretary of Administration Bill Daughtridge said the division has restructured completely, replacing 23 of 38 employees, and that training for contract administrators is now in place.
“In summary, the division has corrected the contract administration deficiencies identified in this report,” Daughtridge writes.
Daughtridge added that issues with White’s already have been addressed.
