EDC admits freedom-of-information screwup (updated)

The following statement was issued today by the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation concerning a freedom-of-information request from local businessman Luke Dalla Bona about the EDC's website and multimedia projects.

New documents released by the EDC show that successful bidders on EDC projects include Dalla Bona's Pictographics, as well as Miramar Design Studio, Lucidia (a sister company to SooToday.com) and Marshall Macklin Monaghan with Clute & Associates (Lucidia subcontracted).

An EDC spreadsheet shows Lucidia receiving a total of $227,383 in EDC contracts, of which $146,695 was for the Sault-Canada.com site. (EDITOR'S NOTE: An early version of this paragraph contained different figures, due to a SooToday.com cursor slip that altered our copy of the spreadsheet.)

"Much of the smaller web projects done after these were single-sourced to this firm, as it was already the host and foundation for our original website," the EDC said today in its statement.

Miramar Design was awarded $22,020 in EDC work.

Pictographics won $4,093 in contracts. Marshall Macklin Monaghan and Clute & Associates got $3,000. Unsuccessful bidders for EDC work included Soonet, Digital Webworks, RBB Innovations, KPMG, GH Consulting, InterVistas Consulting, Art Osbourne & Associates, BDO Dunwoody, Big Apple Consulting Associates Inc, Curran Consulting, Dynamic Risk Assessment Systems, Grant Thornton, Green Pasture Consulting, GTO Technical Services, Ironside Consulting Services Inc., Manna International Inc., Mike Barker Consulting, Mike Brouse Consulting, P&M Technologies, Paper Chase Consulting, ZAD Consulting, IBI Group Consulting, Carmen Misasi Design, Fabricate Web Design, Clean North, Dizzytree, Fit for Business, Freelance Designer, MPG Web Design, Cliffe Printing, 2Creative, Cre8tive Edge, Sault Business, COPS Marketing and Brooks Marketing Resources.

***************************** Transparency, freedom of information and the EDC

SAULT STE. MARIE - (July 8) - Earlier this week, the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp. completed its provision of documents for Luke Dalla Bona’s freedom-of-information request.

The package contained information on websites and multimedia projects commissioned by the SSMEDC between 2001 and 2007.

It also included a summary template, meant to provide more clarity to the documents.

As reported by the local news media, the original package given to Mr. Dalla Bona a few weeks ago contained pages that were largely blacked out.

Although the omissions were made at the request of our suppliers, the SSMEDC, in later discussions with these suppliers and our legal counsel, acknowledge that too much information was blacked out.

For that, we take full responsibility and do apologize.

Being our first freedom-of-information request, SSMEDC is still learning the process.

However, we are committed to meeting all requirements under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

We plan on better documenting our activity – especially with our suppliers in the business community – and are working to create a more efficient filing system to have easier access to this information.

As the documents released to Mr. Dalla Bona reveal, and as SSMEDC has always stated, several local firms, including Pictographics, have done website and multimedia work for our organization.

The documents also show that one company has done more work than others.

This company competed and won the request for proposal (RFP) for the original tender to create and host our website, www.sault-canada.com

Much of the smaller web projects done after these were single sourced to this firm, as it was already the host and foundation for our original website.

When Mr. Dalla Bona first requested information, the SSMEDC attempted to settle the issue directly.

When this was unsuccessful, it led to a freedom-of-information request.

The Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp.’s original belief that it wasn’t subject to freedom-of-information legislation was not done with malice or contempt for taxpayers.

Nevertheless, it has led some members of the public to believe we were not being transparent or are too secret.

That is something our organization regrets.

We hope that we can shed this perception, and we realize that a positive image needs to be earned.

The SSMEDC pledges to earn this reputation one day at a time.

The Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp. delivers positive results.

An independent review, commissioned by City Council and released last year, revealed the organization: created 1,533 jobs between 2004 and 2007, those jobs led to between $149 million and $268 million in employee salaries, and the SSMEDC provides about a three-to-one return on municipal taxpayer investment.

However, we do realize that our organization could take steps to be more transparent.

This is something we acknowledge and are working to change through enhanced communications.

While some may label this message “too little, too late,” we believe that it’s never too late to admit mistakes and work for a better future.

For the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp., the journey to a more transparent future has begun.

We hope to continue to be a benefit for the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie by supporting job creation and increasing the municipal tax base, both of which make the community a better place to live, learn, work and play!

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