Stantec

Stantec (symbol STN on the NYSE) is the consulting firm hired by the city to assist with finding solutions to the daytripper parking problem.

Through the end of March 2015 the city has paid them $148,256.

For this princely sum they have held several meetings, counted cars coming onto the island, taken some aerial photos and collected the following observations:

A lot of cars come here in the summer.

A lot more come on weekends.

A lot, lot more come on holidays.

Finally, a lot of homes have obstacles in the easement by the side of the road.

Included in the above spending was $5000 for advice on a digital sign that council decided it did not want.

The above is a perfect illustration of this old joke about consultants:

Hans and Franz where up in their hot air balloon when they got lost.  (This was in the days before cell phones and GPS.)  They saw a man in his front yard so they lowered the balloon to about 10 feet off the ground.

Hans yelled out to the man, where are we?

The man replied, you’re up there.

Hans looked at Franz and told him, that man must be a consultant.

How do you know that?, Franz said.

Because what he just told us it totally accurate and totally useless!