Ryan St bridge another example of waste of time

FORTY years ago I attended Townsville Council meetings regularly and was always amazed that the majority of the Works and Services mentioned in the reports tabled were well above the initial budget allocation.

There was never any discussion, questions asked or explanation given. Many were two or three times the original authorised expenditure allotted for the project, but councillors just authorised the payment, or excess payment.

In 1959- 60, when I was at Mary Kathleen Uranium, I took a correspondence course “Time and Motion Studies” now called “Time and Methods Studies” – basically it’s the study and analysis of a production line or processing procedure methodology to simplify, streamline and optimise the processing rate of materials, and minimise operator handling time and movement, effectively reducing the cost of production.

I see workers weeding median strips, and I think one man could hose the area with Water and Weed ( or is it Weed and Water?)

When they cut the median strip grass, they don’t use motor mowers – they use whipper snippers. Why?

About the end of February the dis- mantling of the Ryan St bridge, Belgian Gardens, widened the drain and constructed a stormwater drain that divides the site. Vehicles have had to travel around the block just to get to the other side of the worksite.

I cannot understand why they took out their access to the other side of the worksite, having to go 500- 600m instead of 20m over the bridge for four months. If they dismantled it to work or widen the area under it, they could have saved a lot of time and money if they completed the works at that site and built the new bridge immediately and used it.

They are just doing the bridge decking now.

I note in Letters ( TB, June 26), Chris of Rowes Bay timed four council workers at smoko from 9am to 10.30am and as an ex- time and method cost clerk, I just wondered if that nonproductive six man hours ( plus truck rate time) will be booked against the Ryan St project because I have this feeling that it will come in way over budget estimates.

It is obvious that good stewardship of ratepayers money demands accountability.

PETER ARMATI,

Kelso.