Tulsa World: Stimulus jobs data plagued by errors

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Stimulus jobs data plagued by errors
Federal records show state contractors make reporting mistakes.

By GAVIN OFF World Data Editor
Published: 11/22/2009 2:25 AM
Last Modified: 11/22/2009 3:42 AM

Errors and poor estimates pepper the stimulus data that Oklahoma contractors recently submitted to the federal government.

The data list hundreds of jobs that have been created, even though the projects have yet to begin.

They list at least seven projects in which the money went toward salary increases or overtime pay, even though the jobs are labeled as new positions.

And one project recipient wasn't even sure how to spend the funds.

"I have not created any jobs with the stimulus money," the recipient wrote. "I don't know what to do with the money."

Errors

According to federal stimulus data, at least 221 jobs in Oklahoma were reported to have been created for projects that have yet to start.

An HGL Construction project to design and engineer an industrial building in Oklahoma City is said to have created 15 jobs. But the project has yet to begin, recovery data show.

A representative from HGL didn't know from where the confusion stemmed.

Similarly, a $192,000 project to install energy-efficient windows in Fort Gibson created another 15 jobs, data show.

However, a spokeswoman for Fort Gibson said the city has yet to receive the money or begin the project. She also said the 15 jobs the project will create are positions that the city already has and will retain.

Ed Pound, communications director for the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, said the government counts jobs retained as jobs created.

He also said the board relies on the reporting agencies to supply the federal government with correct data.

"This is what the recipients report," Pound said. "We're not certifying the accuracy of the reports. We'd have to have a cast of thousands."

One mistake that slipped through involves a project to replace seven heat and air units and remove six trees at a housing complex for disabled people in Caddo County. According to data, the project created 22.5 jobs.

But Donna Glass, executive director for the Cement Housing Authority, said the stimulus funds created about two jobs and that the data she filed with the government were incorrect.

"I feel bad about it, but I didn't know how to go back and fix it," Glass said. "I think I just put it in wrong."

On the other hand, a $202,000 Oklahoma Department of Transportation resurfacing project in El Reno has been completed. Data show the project created no jobs, though Tim Gatz, ODOT's director of capital programs, said the week-long project actually created two jobs.

The department didn't have time to correct an input error by the contractor before it submitted data to the federal government, Gatz said.

Raises

Big Five Community Services, a community action program in Durant, received $383,000 for its Head Start program.

It used the money to fill three new positions and provide 39 Head Start staff members with professional training and a 1.84 percent pay increase for cost-of-living adjustments.

Program representatives said the stimulus award created 42 jobs, data show.

Carol Ammons, Big Five's executive director, said the pay increase would help prevent turnover and the training would help workers stay employed.

"The sad thing about it is there's nothing to replace (the pay increase money) once the stimulus is over," Ammons said. "If we don't get more funding, we're going to have it take it off."

Ray Bitsche, executive director of Sunbeam Family Services in Oklahoma City, said the program is spending much of its stimulus money on pay raises, as well.

Sunbeam hired two new workers and gave cost-of-living raises to 18 Early Head Start and Head Start employees.

Bitsche said he wanted to use all the money to hire four full-time workers, but the Administration for Children and Families required that recipients increase their current Head Start employees' pay before hiring new workers.

"We had one plan, and it was putting most of the money into new positions, and it was pointed out that our positions weren't at the prevailing wage," Bitsche said.

Luis Rosero, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said a cost-of-living increase was required but that the increases shouldn't be counted as full jobs.

If the increase represented 5 percent of a person's pay, for example, the recipient should have reported it as 5 percent of a newly created job, Rosero said.

Data list Sunbeam's stimulus funds as creating 20 jobs.

"As has been previously reported, recipient reports accounting for some jobs reported by Head Start grantees jobs are under review," Rosero said in an e-mail. "(Health and Human Services) flagged all these reports and has been working with recipients to correct their reports."

Gavin Off 732-8106
gavin.off@tulsaworld.com By GAVIN OFF World Data Editor

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	Report Comment Thunder196, Tulsa (11/22/2009 2:33:49 AM) I know these people would never have lied. Would it sound better to say they were stretching the truth. Just a little.
	Report Comment Elusive, Owasso (11/22/2009 2:54:29 AM) Well, they want to give people hope, you know the hope and change everyone counted on.
	Report Comment zzx375, BA (11/22/2009 8:09:37 AM) If you don't measure it you can't manage it. I read just the other day where the prez, when ask about the bad data, said something to the effect the it was just a distraction and that we're creating jobs here. If that is his general viewpoint about bad data, then we really are in trouble. Bad data becomes transformed into bad information which becomes the basis for bad decisions. Does the prez apply this same data yardstick with regard to deploying our armed forces in harm's way?
	Report Comment DBJohn, Tulsa (11/22/2009 8:43:13 AM) How many people are actually surprised by this?? How many believe these "errors" are just an isolated incident? Trillions of dollars were given away earmarked for specific projects and purposes but those who received the money felt no obligation to use it as it was intended.
	Report Comment oatka, (11/22/2009 10:19:15 AM) A pay raise to prevent turnover in the midst of the worst recession in 50 years? How can they say that with a straight face? Anybody with a job is extremely thankful and is certainly not going to be looking for greener pastures, which I doubt exist at this point. (Green shoots they ain't.)
	Report Comment Captain BlackBeaver, Bat-Poop Crazy Island (11/22/2009 10:21:41 AM) Corruption is everywhere...arrrggghh...for de luv of money...is...
	Report Comment Few Clothes, America (11/22/2009 11:05:55 AM) So all these people are getting raises due to stimulus money and those on Social Security do not get a cost of living increase?
	Report Comment fredsdad, Tulsa, OK (11/22/2009 11:48:25 AM) All of you starry-eyed, tree-hugging, business-hating, economically illiterate, cradle-to-grave entitlement, kool-aid drinking, crybaby liberals who want the government mommy to take care of you were all so thrilled with this ludicrously expensive pre-doomed fiasco. Now what?
	Report Comment fredsdad, Tulsa, OK (11/22/2009 6:39:23 PM) Wow! Sure got quiet in here.
	Report Comment my view, Sand Springs (11/22/2009 8:24:16 PM) Isn't funny how the liberals stay away from columns such as these. Now in their [libs] defense I'm sure their not happy about the number of errors either. They were hoping for a honest government that they could be use as a showcase and their not getting it.
	Report Comment DBJohn, Tulsa (11/22/2009 9:29:00 PM) It sure did get quiet here and that is a problem. People our money is getting spent thrown away and is being spent however those who get the free money wants to spend it. And you have people who are getting it and are caught spending it other than what it was given making statements like "I feel bad about it, but I didn't know how to go back and fix it". I believe the government was most assuredly grossly in error by not demanding accountability for our money. I also believe those who have misused the money should return it.

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