building commitee

by logic 19 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  logic

  IS ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH THE BUILDING COMMITEE? IT APPEARS THAT ALOT OF HANKY PANKY IS GOING ON HERE. FOR INSTANCE, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT SOME CONTRACTORS HAVE ARRANGEMENTS TO BE PAID. THE WORK WAS NOT OPENED TO BID. THEN THERE IS THE GOOFY ARRANGEMENTS TO WORK ON THE PROJECTS. IF YOU ARE JUST LABORER ETC. YOU CAN BE IMMATURE OR WHAT EVER, BUT TO BE IN ON THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION YOU HAVE TO BE INTERVIEWED AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF BULL.

  MYSELF BEING IN CONSTRUCTION FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND AN EXPERIENCED SUPERINTENDENT AND ESTIMATOR HAVE KNOWN THAT THE PROJECTS ARE ALWAYS OVERPRICED. THIS HAS BOTHERED ME FOR YEARS. IT IS LIKE THE BUILDING COMMITEE IS A SECRET SOCIETY OR SOMETHING. I HAVE THOUGHT THAT IF THE TRUTH ABOUT ALL THIS CAME OUT IT WOULD REALLY HURT THE WT
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  juni

  Would be interesting to learn more about what you're saying cause I don't know how they go about hiring or whatever. It used to be done entirely by volunteers.

  I do know from experience and from hearing others' stories that working for brothers can be a nightmare. They will lie, cheat and conive (sp?) and backbite. Working for "worldly" people is far better.

  Juni
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  Pahpa

  I do know that in the past when construction work was done it was done primarily by JW volunteer workers. It some cases it proved to be disasterous. Some years ago, when a circuit assembly building was erected a number of expensive corrections had to be made including tile work, air conditioning, etc. JWs often boast about their efficient and speedy construction projects. But one rarely hears of the shoddy and inefficient work that is done on these projects.
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  Dagney

  You are right...there is hanky panky going on in the building work. I don't know if it is widespread, and I do know they have independent auditors that review the expenses.

  In our KH remodel, it came to light that the WTBS asked for bids for the general contracting work from outside, and one from the building committee. That is so the WTBS can decided what the loan will be to charge the congregation. It turned out the building committee bid was HIGHER than the other general contractors bid. So the the loan the congo pays back is at an higher amount with most labor done by volunteer.

  It's a nice racquet. The elder and servants who discussed this with us were shocked. But I guess not shocked enough...life goes on as usual.
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  badboy

  SOUNDS A BIT IFFY.
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  GermanXJW

  In our cpngregation there was this Elder (son-in-law of a very prominent Elder in Germany) working for a company providing building material. When there a new Kingdom Hall was to be build several companies (including the Elders' company) were bidding. After the bidding was done the Elder picked the phone and his company made a final bid below the lowest bid. The other companies did not have this opportunity and the Elder's company made the deal. Smelled a bit fishy back then.
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  Pubsinger

  It's all totally back handed. When our assembly hall was being built in the late 80s they proposed a particular carpet and gave the price. One elder who was in the trade said "Hey that's way overpriced. I can get you that at a very good price maybe even trade." He was told very clearly that the carpet was coming from an already agreed source and they weren't interested in his price. Later we had a small refurb (really a redecorate) in our KH. The cong was small (50 publishers) (doesn't that sound awful now - not friends or members but publishers!) and didn't have much money. The building committee wanted to come. The charge for their consultation was more than our budget for the redecorating. I was actually proud of our local elders because they told them to take a running jump!! On quick builds there were always paid people - usually bigwigs. How come the elder who was an archetect and loaded couldn't donate his time and draw up some plans for a hall but the rest of us did? And I'll name names. Chris Scholes, Penistone Cong (pronounced penny stone not penis tone! although this guy was a head shaking knob)
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  TopHat

  pubsinger, and all this time I thought the building committee was free of charge.

  Why a loan to the cong for rebuilding or fixing the place up? Doesn't the WTS own the property? I feel the publishers should rent the cong cause the WTS is the Landlord.
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  Cellist

  There were a few JWs (well connected) that we knew in the 80s who did quite well economically because of the quick builds. Even though the area was in an economic downturn.
  
  The one that really got me scratching my head was the "interior decorator" who was paid very well. All of his "projects" looked about the same to me.
  
  Cellist
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  frogit

  Exactly, I managed to get a Carpet price (and fitted)lower then the building committee could by hundreds of £s (pounds). But the Building committee went with this brothers company instead, and most of the buying of materials went through his business account too, he then charged the congregation back, I'm sure this helped him with better prices for his business, and the discount was not passed on to the congregation!
  
  I might know your Architect Pubsinger? I support a business in Penistone too.
  
  frogit