Projo Politics Blog

A Senate committee has paid nearly $10,000 to a private company for transcripts of hearings on the use of private-contract employees.

The Government Oversight Committee held seven hearings between Feb. 28 and June 4 on the Carcieri administration’s use of contract employees.

The high-profile meetings, held at the peak of the Smart Staffing controversy, were videotaped, but committee Chairman J. Michael Lenihan, D-East Greenwich, decided afterward that transcripts were required to produce a detailed report on the issue, which is set to be released as early as next month.

Transcripts are more expensive when taken from a video recording, according to the Joint Committee on Legislative Services, which controls General Assembly spending. A note on each of the invoices notes that “due to the difficulty and promptness prices are as follows …”

The total cost of the seven transcripts was $9,788.50. The most expensive transcript was for the May 14 hearing, which alone cost $3,252.25.

“Originally we weren’t going to do transcripts because we had it all on tape,” Lenihan told Political Scene. “But based on the fact that we’re making specific recommendations … we wanted exact testimony to refer to.”

He continued: “To my knowledge, the state doesn’t employ people who are transcribers. It was the best option available to us.”

It should be noted that while Lenihan has been critical of the use or extended use of some contract positions, he has maintained there are appropriate uses.

“My position is there’s nothing wrong with having a provision for temporary workers. How that’s exercised, however, is something that’s been left a little too free-floating,” he said earlier in the month.

---