Detroit's Water Department - The Sewer Of Corruption

The revelations of corruption in the Detroit Water and Sewer Department just keep on coming.

This is what happens when you have a corrupt, one-party city with a sewer department that can be used as a piggy bank for corrupt construction and hiring contracts. The department then passes its corruption costs on as rate increases to the suburbs.

In other words, Detroit has managed to make the suburbs pay for its corrupt games.

At least one Detroit Water and Sewer Employee has been doing very well as a result:

The Detroit Free Press: Double-duty security official should lose his job, union says

Yes, this may be the first time a Detroit Union advocated firing someone.

The union representing Detroit Water and Sewerage Department security officers is calling for the resignation of security chief Barnett Jones after the Free Press revealed this week that he was working two, six-figure jobs some 70 miles apart.

Jones resigned as administrator of public safety in Flint on Thursday. Officials there said they didn't know Jones also was working as chief of security and integrity for the Detroit department. ... "When he was hired in, they changed the name to the department of security and integrity because they wanted to set a new tone.

But not to worry, he has the full confidence of the current water and sewer director:

Water department Director Sue McCormick said late Friday that she remains confident in Jones. The department also sent a news release Friday afternoon affirming confidence in Jones and pointing out his long background in police work.

"I would not ask him to step down," McCormick said. "I haven't been, in any way, dissatisfied with his service to DWSD."

But of course, and public employment certainly pays the bills:

Flint, which is in such financial straits that it is being run by an emergency financial manager, was paying him $135,000 a year. The water department is paying him $138,750.

Not bad pay for managing 77 security guards.

By comparison, the Police Chief for the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan overseeing 316 police officers and 81 civilian employees is paid $117,364.