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The council got a report from the city attorney tonight on the Winnequah Shelter. I suppose the fact that we are getting a report from the city attorney about the shelter gives you an idea how things are going. Basically, the architect that city hired to design the shelter did not design the shelter that the city, through its Parks Board and city council, told the architect that we wanted.
The essential flaw is that the shelter is not winterized. The Parks Board wanted a 4-season shelter that included a fireplace, could be used as a warming house for skating and could be rented in the winter months. These things were memorialized by the Parks Board. How the architect goes from those directions to concluding that the shelter did not need to be winterized is a mystery to me and many others.
The other much lesser problem was that the concrete floor was poured without leaving space for the donor paver tiles. That problem has been fixed and the question is who pays the added $5500 or so in cost. There are also some fairly minor other construction-related issues.
The city attorney has written the architect primarily to ask them to explain how the building can be winterized and how much it will cost. The ball's in their court for now - once we get the answers, then we have to decide how to proceed. Or if we don't get an answer soon, then we also have to decide how to proceed.
Monday, July 16, 2007
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Who was/is representing the city's interest in this thing? Was there not a daily visit to the project from this individual? Where does the buck stop on the city end of things? If there was such an individual, will there be any accountability? If there was not such an individual, then who is responsible for that decision? You don't just let out a project and assume that the architect and contractor will do their jobs!
ReplyDeletewhoa.
ReplyDeleteThis person is preaching some tough medicine. TO expect staff whose training and background has nothing to do with large construction proect is unfair.
Frankly, I think we need to talk speak with the Project Manager. The School Board (yes the school board-imagine that) realized early in the project they do not have the expertise to manage a project of this size and hired a project manager who had experience in this area.
Thus, what do the project manger say about this one?
Nobody expects the staff to have this expertise, but we do expect them to realize they do not and to say so. We also expect the council and mayor to understand this and if necessary, hire someone to represent the city's interest in the construction project. A major ball was dropped here and that needs to be acknowleged so it doesn't happen again.
ReplyDeleteBottomline is-I like the shelter.
ReplyDelete