Problem
Shadyvale, a picturesque town in upstate New England, is having water problems. Three years ago an engineering consultant issued a report which stated, among other things, that the existing water main in Shadyvale was generally in good condition but was extremely old. Further, the water main no longer is large enough for all of the properties served. Since that time, the Town Selectmen have been trying to secure the funds needed to replace the old main with a new main of larger diameter, but they still cannot afford to do so.
However, the State Department of Transportation (DOT) is planning a highway reconstruction project in Shadyvale. Warren, a senior planning and programming engineer, is the senior DOT engineer responsible for this project. Although he now lives in the Capitol City, Warren was born and raised in a small village not far from Shadyvale, next door to his boyhood friend, Earnest "Red" Anderson. With a twinge of nostalgia and fond memories of a more peaceful time, Warren confidently delegates the project to one of his subordinates, Dianne, a young engineer intern about to sit for the PE exam.
Dianne is well liked, highly competent, and by all indications, will go far in the Department. As per standard practice, Dianne initiates the design layout for the Shadyvale project to avoid conflicts with the existing utilities, including the old water main. She understands that State DOT policy unambiguously requires that only unavoidable utility conflicts will be paid for as part of highway projects and that other utility work is to be considered as a betterment that must be paid for by the local municipality. This is quite fresh on her mind, since due to a downturn in the State's economy, several layoffs have occurred in the State government, and recent memos have repeatedly emphasized fiscal belt-tightening.
With the design at about 30 percent completion, Dianne submits a set of drawings to Warren for his review and comment. She also recommends a site visit to observe the route, tie down several details, and resolve various design issues. On the appointed morning, Warren and Dianne secure a State vehicle and make the very pleasant drive to Shadyvale. The stress of the city fades with each mile as they drive through some of the most picturesque scenery in the State.
"I'll definitely have to bring the wife back in September to enjoy the foliage," muses Warren to himself as they drive into town. Shops, restaurants, and even the localgarage still have that old-town feel. As expected, it is a wonderful day in the field, and Dianne busily gathers the information she needs to take the drawings to the next level. In the meantime, Warren takes the opportunity to explore the town. To his pleasant surprise, he learns that his friend, Red Anderson, still lives in Shadyvale, and in fact is the senior Town Selectman.
Upon learning of Warren's being in Shadyvale, Red invites Warren and Dianne to lunch at one of the local cafes. In addition to catching up on old times, Red recounts Shadyvale's water main problem and how the town just sees no way to get together the kind of money needed for such a project. Dianne is well aware of the location of this water main - she knows Warren is too - she made a conscious decision to design around it. But neither of them says anything, not wanting to spoil such a friendly visit. After a good meal, good conversation, and plans for Warren and Red to get together in the near future, Warren and Dianne depart from Shadyvale.
On the way back to Department headquarters, Dianne comments to Warren about how, in view of their conversation with Red, she feels disappointed that she must align the new closed drainage system for this project on the opposite side of the road from the old water main. The facts are, were the proposed drainage system to impact the existing water main, it could be dealt with simply as an added share to the Engineer's Estimate for the Town's cost, and Shadyvale would only be responsible for the difference in price between the size of the now-impacted existing water main and the proposed larger size (about $25,000), rather than for all of the water main work (over $350,000). "It's just too bad," she sighed.
Warren had been silent, listening to Dianne's comments and line of reasoning. After she finished her thought, just as they were pulling into DOT headquarters, Warren looked directly at Dianne and stated in an odd sort of way, "Yes, the citizens of Shadyvale are really fine people, and they deserve the best the State DOT can offer. I want you to do a really thorough job on the layout, and I'll back you 100 percent." Then, as they were getting out of the car, Warren added, "By the way, Dianne, you had mentioned that you were going to send me a reference form for your PE license. Get that to me and I'll complete it right away."
It is now the next morning. Dianne is at her desk, looking at the Shadyvale drawings. It seems obvious to her based on Warren's clandestine remark that he wants her to change the design so that Shadyvale's old water main is impacted, thus requiring the State DOT to bear most of the cost of replacing it. This could be justified easily enough, and no subsequent reviewer would question the issue if Warren signs off on this as he says he will. After all, it is not like Warren is asking her to embezzle funds for personal use or anything. But Dianne knows this action is not consistent with DOT policy. A voice inside screams, "What about your ethics?" Immediately another voice replies, "What about your PE license recommendation from Warren?" Yet another pipes up, "What about the deserving citizens of Shadyvale?" And on it goes.
A. How should Dianne proceed with this matter?
B. What are the perceived consequences or risks associated with the decision you made?
a. In your opinion, why (or how) did the benefits of your decision out-weigh the risks?
C. How would you communicate your final decisions to the pertinent parties?
D. What do you think are some potential responses you will receive from those parties, and how would you prepare to handle them?