As federal agents investigate connections between vendors and Wayne County officials, some contractors and commissioners are questioning how a politically connected firm ended up with one of the biggest public works projects in years.
Contractors contacted by The Detroit News said they believe the Walbridge construction company was favored from the beginning for a $220 million contract to build a jail.
The county awarded "bonus" points going to companies headquartered in Wayne County, a provision bidders don't remember the county using.
Two months after commissioners unanimously approved the deal, some now say they weren't aware of close ties between Walbridge and Turkia Mullin, the county's one-time economic development chief who guided the process.
Walbridge CEO John Rakolta Jr. served on the board of a nonprofit she led that paid her a $75,000 bonus and is now under investigation by the FBI. He accompanied her and County Executive Robert Ficano last year on a business development trip to Italy and France paid for by the nonprofit.
http://detnews.com/article/20111125/METRO/111250380/$220M-jail-deal-comes-under-fire-amid-Wayne-Co.-probe#ixzz1ekQq7pdi
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