Recovery.gov is where the government claims we can "Track the Money" Want to paint a bridge?

Photo: Carolyn Tann-Starr 2010

Recovery.gov is where the government claims we can “Track the Money” Want to paint a bridge?

By Carolyn Tann-Starr

I have been poking around over there looking for a Brooklyn Bridge job to write about. After all, when the Vice President of the United States shows up in New York City and says Federal stimulus money has been earmarked http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/home.aspx seems like a logical place to start the research. In case you did not know, Recovery.gov is where the government claims we can track the money from the stimulus grants. Here is some information quoted from the first quarter of 2010 that is very exciting because of (a) the pending job opportunities and (b) hypothetical beneficial economic possibilities those jobs represent:

This project is reportedly going to cost approximately $500 million dollars with about $30 million dollars specifically from the stimulus fund. I am waiting for an update where jobs created no longer say zero. According to the sub-awards information at Recovery.gov, every category as of this writing has a zero in it. Recovery.gov states:

There is a very cool print available for purchase from the City of New York depicting the 1914 Brooklyn Bridge Painters that you can see here:

http://a856citystore.nyc.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductName=Brooklyn+Bridge+Painters%2C+1914&CategoryID=163

The views make this job very interesting… I am also wondering where the women are.

On May 13, 2010, Chad Bray on FoxBusiness.com covered and updated an article on a ruling regarding discrimination in the hiring of bridge painters. All you NY Working Moms who were a wee  bit intrigued about the 1914 Bridge Painters all being men may want to take a read over there and ponder  joining the next round of painter candidates waiting to be hired if you happen to have private sector experience doing such work.

According the article, “Despite their years of bridge painting experience in the private sector, female bridge painter applicants were turned away by the defendants," the judge said. "The city did not offer them jobs as bridge painters solely because they were women. This was unvarnished sex discrimination." In addition, the article reports, “The judge said the U.S. Department of Justice's requests for monetary and hiring relief are appropriate, but reserved final judgment.”  I hear a job opportunity knocking people. You can read the full story here:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/update-nyc-discriminated-hiring-bridge-painters--judge/

 According to the NYC Department of Transportation regarding  phase one: “Painting work, to prevent steel corrosion and improve aesthetics, will likely be the first phase of this project, and will occur in negative-pressure containment units that travel along the bridge structure, high above the traffic. All three-travel lanes will be maintained during the course of this work, and painting will take approximately four years. Equipment will be placed on barges anchored to the Manhattan tower, and on land abutting the Brooklyn tower. Dust collection, vacuum and recycle units will be employed to minimize environmental air quality risks, and there will be continuous air monitoring during operations. All painting work will be conducted in accordance to the US Environmental Protection Act and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation requirements. Noise generated by these units will conform to the NYC Noise Code standards adopted in 2007. See the Department of Environmental Protection page for more information.” http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bridges/brooklyn_bridge.shtml

According to 1010wins.com: “The bridge facelift is one of six infrastructure projects in New York City that received stimulus funding. According to the mayor's office, most of the Brooklyn Bridge work will be done at night, requiring some lane closures of the bridge's Manhattan-bound lanes. On some weekends, all lanes to Manhattan will be closed. Brooklyn-bound lanes will remain open during night work and on weekends. Motorists heading to Manhattan can use alternate routes. The walkway for pedestrians and bicycles will remain open during the project. “ http://www.1010wins.com/Brooklyn-Bridge-Set-to-Get-a--500-Million-Makeover/7376557