Friday, March 4, 2011

Not so fast, Robert Graham.

WAPT finally reported on Byram's problems in obtaining police radios and interviewed Supervisor Robert Graham about the problem. Byram wants to purchase 60 Motorola radios at a price of $230,000. This purchase includes portable radios for officers and radios for police cars. Nathan Hargrave, the consultant for Hinds County, has been pushing Hinds County to ignore Byram's desire to purchase the Motorolas and instead purchase radios made by EF Johnson.

Just one little problem: Mr. Hargrave sells EF Johnson radios and has a little bit of a pecuniary interest in the matter. Some people might even call it a conflict of interest as he even prepared the EF Johnson quote. JJ has also learned Mr. Hargrave tried to pull the same stunt with Clinton and AMR last year as well. The reporter brings up this issue with Mr. Graham but Mr. Graham replies "No, he doesn't have a conflict of interest because he sells for several different companies."

Not so fast, my friend. There are only two radios Byram PD can purchase: Motorola or EF Johnson. Mr. Hargrave does not sell the Motorolas sought by Byram. The radios he sells Byram can use are made by EF Johnson so yes, Mr. Hargrave does have a conflict of interest. Mr. Graham can spin and obfuscate all he wants but the fact remains, the Hinds County consultant only sells one of the available manufacturers of police radios needed by Byram and is trying to get the Board of Supervisors to force Byram to purchase his radios. If that is not a conflict of interest, I don't know what is. And now you know the rest of the story.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

By the way King I believe it is Hargrove and is listed as that spelling w/ Hosemann's office.

Anonymous said...

Now King how can Graham say that Hargrove has no conflict of interest?

Here (pg 3) Hargrove is included when the Hinds Sups go into Executive Session to discuss the litigation with Motorola.

Nope, no conflict of interest there. Hargrove, who competes with Motorola and Motorola agents and distributors, is privy to inside litigation details against his competitor(s).

Robert Graham is a disaster and incompetent.

Anonymous said...

And isn't is interesting that Hargrove formed Northstar about 6 months after making a splash with Graham in this story while an employee with Browns.

Let me guess. Hargrove has one of those no-bid professional services contracts that Robert Graham loves to dole out.

Anonymous said...

Here is Hargrove while a Browns employee getting invited back behind the curtain in another Hinds Sup Executive Session way back in June 2008.

No conflict of interest today. Nope. None at all.

Anonymous said...

How is all this legal and who is supppose to enforce these laws?

Anonymous said...

Then you have the time when Hargrove, still with Browns, advised Hinds to buy emergency sirens BUT NOT FROM THE LOW BIDDER. What did Robert Graham say about spending more taxpayer dollars than necessary? He said YOU BETCHA.

Just more than 3 months after this vote Hargrove founded Northstar and, apparently, his gig as Graham's consultant followed him there.

There can't possibly be any conflict of interest in Hargrove's relationship with Robert Graham. No way, no how.

By the way, who paid for Robert Graham to travel overseas to discuss police dispatching practices?

Anonymous said...

My, my, my does Hargrove gets around.

Browns, Northstar and back in March 2010 he's hooked up with Airwave when responding to a report from the HindsCo Emergency team that 30% of the sirens under a maintenance contract with Airwave aren't working.

So now we have the same "consultant" over the course of Robert Graham's very first term representing at various stages THREE DIFFERENT FIRMS doing business with Hinds County.

So isn't it weird that Hargrove while w/ Browns recommends new sirens at a higher cost than what was available from the low bidder. Robert Graham says you betcha. Then, Hargrove is with Airwave who got the contract to maintain the existing sirens AND Airwave got the contract to rollout the new higher cost sirens. And isn't it also strange that at least TWICE now Hargrove has been pushing Hinds Co to buy equipment that is more expensive than the equipment offered by the lower bidder. And why Robert Graham at the VERY CENTER of all these siren+radio matters?

It is all coincidence I'm sure. ;-o

Anonymous said...

And why the HELL do the Hinds Sups find it necessary to discuss with Hargrove behind the curtain and beyond the public in EXECUTIVE SESSION the installation of a generator.

Anonymous said...

Well then, rally the troops behind Robert Graham's opponent.

Anonymous said...

If there is any Federal money involved, and the purchase is over $100,000, the contract must go out for bids and be awarded to the lowest bidder. If it is under $100,000, then they would have to follow the State's small purchase procedures.

If no Federal funds are used, and State funds are used, then they would have to follow State purchasing procedures.

It would be interesting to find out what records the Mississippi Department of Public Safety would have regarding Federal and State funding that has been given to the County in the last few years and what projects were funded.

Anonymous said...

And, they probably receive funding from FEMA via MEMA and/or just MEMA funds too. NHTSA is another Federal agency that funds DPS programs.

Anonymous said...

NOT ONE PERSON HAS COMMENTED ON THE JFP SITE ALL DAY LONG.

Kingfish said...

See their one redistricting story? Whitewash. Pun intended.



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