- April 24, 2024
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+ If Cline has problems, why award another contract?
Dear Editor:
The front-page article (“City puts Cline on notice”) of Wednesday’s Palm Coast Observer read like a Kafka novel. You know, all the words lined up grammatically, but it was difficult to discern any sense to it.
Here’s what I gleaned from the article: Cline Construction has been awarded contracts by the city since 2002. Cline hasn’t always performed well and, in fact, is currently in arrears on one project and in the past has used the wrong concrete for bridge abutments. Councilman Bill Lewis wants Cline’s history reviewed (apparently after the fact); Councilman Bill McGuire agrees “something” needs to be done; Mayor Jon Netts wants Cline to know the Council is “concerned.”
Yet, the City Council awarded another contract to Cline. Kafka would be so impressed.
By the way, for those of you who join me in not recognizing the word “weir,” I looked it up. It means “a little dam.” I guess the city figured awarding $229,000 for “a little dam” might attract more attention than a “weir.”
Shirley Carter
Palm Coast
+ Story was one-sided; city of Palm Coast is unfair to Cline
Dear Editor:
Thank you for the wonderfully negative, one-sided article on the front page of the Aug. 15 edition regarding Cline Construction. As a former Cline employee of 10 years and one of three daughters of Sam Cline, I was devastated when I read your article.
You would think both sides would be presented, and the readers could make their own opinion.
Cline Construction employs 60 full-time employees. This business pays taxes in Palm Coast (unlike numerous businesses that are not even licensed in the city of Palm Coast — how about you write an article on them? — oh, wait, that would take a little investigative writing and research).
This business has donated to so many different organizations, charities, schools and events over the 16 years it has been in business that it recently won an award from the Rotary Club.
When the city wants something for free, it has no problem calling Cline Construction; when the city is having issues, it threatens to ban a local, tax-paying, job-sustaining business. Now that is bad business.
Celena Chalkley
Palm Coast
