The recent news that the remodeling of a community center at Northwood Community Park is now $1,000,000.00+ over budget is not surprising at all. It’s yet another reminder of the dire fiscal condition that we are in as a city and a big litmus test on whether or not our newly elected Republican majority is capable of handling such projects.
This Council majority ran on a message of reform. This example of the grossly over-budget community center was a perfect time for the council to step up and demand that fiscal responsibility and sound decision making reign with Irvine politics. Where does the buck stop in Irvine?
As with anything in government “the buck does not stop here.” The attorney representing the City called it the “perfect storm.” Apparently, “perfect storm” is a euphemism for city employees making decisions to reinvent and circumvent the center’s original design. Decision making: When does the average employee get to make design changes to a construction project? And how can an employee create more than a million dollars in cost overruns?
As usual, it’s too easy to blame the employee, not the managers, project managers, and council members overseeing the project. The approved project and the many change orders had been approved by council. These employees report to managers and they report to council, so why are we throwing these employees under the bus?
The council seems to be astounded and stunned that it should be an important task that they watch over a multi-million dollar projects. Mayor Choi, it is your inability to manage staff and projects within our City, and Ms Shea seems to think that “we do not have the capability to look at every low level decision.” Sean Joyce, City Manager saus “We will learn from this, it reminds me of my home projects I have done” Lalloway cites “a learning experience” and a “lesson learned.”
What kind of response is that?
Negligence falls on the city council’s doorstep! And we as the taxpayer, should watch very closely at the Solar Decathlon for further negligence and the failure to have sound business practices. This is the problem with the long term incumbents with no background in running a large business.
As I stated in a previous story, the community center is a massive project that should receive maximum oversight through the entire process, yet somehow this oversight went awry. And not awry by a small amount, but to an extent that will literally cost the city 0ver a million dollars. Budgets are tight, everywhere. The days of bountiful government surpluses are over. Every American is feeling the pain in their personal budgets. With taxes and fees raising in many areas its essential that government does everything in their power to deliver projects on time and at budget.
In April I discovered that city staff acknowledged that council members were given misinformation regarding the cost of the project. For this very reason the City Council had requested that the additional money was to be tabled until further investigation. Perhaps the most disturbing part of the entire process is the fact that City Manager Sean Joyce admitted that city officials have little experience with complicated remodeling jobs and that the initial budget, first estimated at four million, was now up to a requested 5.8 million dollars.
Such a massive lack of understanding on how to deliver such a big project in a big city like Irvine is extremely troubling. For that reason alone an investigation is warranted, not to mention the lack of communication and outright misinformation given the elected officials that are overseeing the project.
It’s time the City Council realize that they were working with taxpayer money and there isn’t an endless trough of it. Let’s ensure this project is finished responsibly and that subsequent projects receive the proper oversight.
*A total drop in the bucket. Come on down to our beautiful white elephant here in Newport Beach…..$142 Million bucks to say hello and they don’t even have an electronic kiosk to help you find your way around. No signage either. But hey, you just don’t get much for $142 million anymore……we suppose. We are talking Civic Center Here…..Community Center – Chump Change!
*No place at the new Civic Center in Newport Beach to even get a sandwich and a cup of coffee either! Class all the way. Cheap too!
Probably because they don’t want us there loitering in their kingdom!
Hey, speaking of the Solar Decathlon — are they bungling the management of it? Or does it still have the prospect of showing off the Great Park to its best advantage?
We all feel that it will be a huge, huge, problem and they will blame a low level employee or the other side of the political spectrum.
Last night during council session they seem to be eluding to the other side being at fault instead of coming together and stating that the problem resides at their doorstep and they will make sure this never happens again.
The American people do not want pointing fingers, damn it, come together and discuss the issues and make the business decisions as a TEAM of officials. Not the left or the right, work together!!!!
Last night Lalloway tried to garner support for the OCFA and tie up millions of dollars in future costs. What was an eye opener, none of the council members knew what was going on. The OCFA had given an ultimatum through Lalloway and the majority threw it back in his face and he was faced with go back and do your homework.
Irvine can make a decision, they have the option to have their own Fire Department, this could be a viable option. Unions are forcing themselves on cities with a do it or we will make you pay more attitude.
It appears that Lalloway and Joyce were made to look foolish under the pressure of the OCFA who are pushing long term contracts to shore up their financial lively-hood for the next 20 years at our expense as well as other cities.
Wakeup, stand up for your constituents, it is OUR money.
Kathryn Daigle, the author of this article, has no idea what she is talking about. She was a plant in the last election to help Agran win his Mayoral race. Is this the best this blog can do?
Well that’s one statement that’s too vague to assess and one that’s demonstrably false. We’re happy to have her challenging voice here.
One reason that she says she got into the race, by the way, is the belief that Choi would do a poor job as Mayor. Well, that we can assess!
At the very least get your facts straight.
Not a plant, a conservative, that is tired of the same bickering from long term incumbents back and forth. As a result, they have no idea what one another is doing, they do not share information, and they do not talk to one another or work as a team to represent the people as a whole.
And by the way, I am running for Mayor again.
Miles, you have a great day!
You understand that for any three council members to work together and share information as you desire would be against the law as a violation of the Brown Act.
It’s good to know that a Mayoral Candidate is suggesting that she would break the law.
What if it’s done publicly?
Yeah, that’s what I was gonna say …. I just looked through all her post and comments in vain for a suggestion that this should be done privately or in closed session…. DICK.
You are absolutely correct, when they (Council) speak on the dais they are representing the City (people) as a whole, not the R’s and D’s the whole City.
Are we always looking for a fight. “Can’t we just get along”!!!
isn’t northwood considered the slums of Irvine and, if so, who cares. as to the contention that you cannot get food at the new Newport Civic Center, every time I have been there, the event has been catered and the food was good
*You are so….special. You get invited to events with food? Impressive. Do they also give you an electronic bracelet to wear…so you don’t get lost walking
around the building? Do you know how to get to the City Clerks Office? Who told you?
my typical newport beach civic center experience starts when i pull up to the front and the guy, usually a mexican, but a nice mexican, greets me and parks my car (usually, without telling me, they do have it washed). then the person assigned to me for the duration of my visit introduces him or herself and takes me wherever i need to go (city manager’s office, a councilman, planning director). they expedite whatever business i might have and then the gal with the tray of appetizers appears and i have a light snack with a nice glass of wine. someone walks me back down to my car and i am off to whatever the next adventure is. i honestly thought that that is how everybody got treated,,,,am i wrong
*Should have known ….your real name is Dave Kiff……
nope, his evil twin brother, don