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The recent news that the remodeling of a community center at Northwood Community Park is now 45% over budget is not surprising at all. It’s yet another reminder of the dire fiscal condition that we are in as a city, as well as a big litmus test on whether or not our newly elected Republican majority is capable of handling such projects.
Irvine’s Gang of Three (Steven Choi, Jeff Lalloway and Christina Shea) ran on a message of reform. Throughout the entire election cycle, from the debates to the direct mail campaigns, their messaging was centered on the need to clean things up fiscally in the City of Irvine. This example of a grossly over-budget community center is a perfect opportunity for these three to step up and demand that fiscal responsibility and sound decision return to Irvine politics. If these three politicians are committed to reform, why are City Manager Sean Joyce and Great Park CEO Mike Ellzey still employed? Where does the buck stop in Irvine, anyway?
The big message Irvine voters sent in November was that we want accountability restored. Five months into the new regime, it’s time for the new Council majority to stop grandstanding, step up and SHOW that accountability. This community center is a massive project that should be receiving maximum oversight throughout the entire process, yet for some reason this oversight is sorely lacking. And not by a small amount, but to an extent that will literally cost the city from a quarter of a million possibly half 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 rising in many areas including the Great Park, it’s essential that government do everything in their power to deliver projects on time and at budget.
The most damning part of the Community Center fiasco is the fact that city staff acknowledged that council members were given misinformation regarding the cost of the project. For this very reason, the City Council is absolutely right in tabling the request for the additional money. In predictable fashion it was the classic 3-2 split in the matter of investigating the mis-management.
Perhaps the most disturbing part of the entire process is the fact that City Manager Sean Joyce admitted that city officials have little to NO EXPERIENCE with complicated remodeling jobs, and that, while the initial budget for the 
construction contract was for $3.2 million, the council approved $4 million in renovations on Nov. 22, 2011, while today it is up to a requested 5.8 million dollars. For that reason alone an investigation is warranted, not to mention for 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 is NOT a bottomless trough of it. Here’s hoping that Gang of Three stays true to their election promises and ensures this project is finished responsibly, and that subsequent projects receive the proper oversight with NO Cost Overruns.
Wait — in that 3-2 split, who voted against investigating the mismanagement, and what were their stated reasons?
You appear to be ripping the Council majority then you admit that they have taken steps to table the request for more money. And it seems that Krom and Agran voted against that.
The reality is that this mess was created by Krom and Agran when they were running things. I am sure that the new Council majority will take steps to fix this but let’s face it, they inherited a lot of disasters from the Agranistas. And the biggest disaster is the Great Park…
Well, the Council majority certainly seems to be doing its best to turn the Great Park into a disaster — primarily by hamstringing the long-planned Solar Decathlon — but it’s not clear why that should be Agran and Krom’s fault. (I know that you’re capable of saying so loudly and confidently, and probably even in your sleep, but your standards of proof are sort of low.)
Tell you what: if Vern agrees, we can sponsor and moderate a debate on the Great Park between you and Dan C., and you can discuss the evidence (to the extent that it exists) behind your conclusions. Maybe we could even hold it in the Great Park itself. Would you agree to that, Art?
My last comment got aborted (my fault….no accusations), but it was along the lines of this:
As much as I would like to see Art and Dan duke it out for real, your comments do nothing to further the conversation. I will be accused of being a Pedrozathyzer (what was it that anyone who agreed with his pov???) or whatever.
But, he didn’t mention Dan, and this was a goat fuck by Agran and Krom, albeit small compared to the Great Park and the silly solar thing. I’d say they (the previous administration had their chance and blew it.
Now let’s give these guys choke on the phony contracts they put in place. In the meantime, Irvine will get a another 25,000 residents and more dense housing and it will end up EXACTLY what it was supposed to be: HOUSING.
This isn’t about Art and Dan. I am surprised nobody went nuts over the housing. But, then again I am surprised we elected Mike Corona and George Bush……..TWICE.
Art and Dan are bloggers who have taken strong and polar opposite positions on the Great Park. Dan knows and agrees with the basis of the position of the Agran-Krom faction; Art either knows (or pretends to know) the basis of the position of the Lalloway-Choi faction. Both could come armed with facts; it would probably be interesting and illuminating — if Art would agree to it. (I haven’t spoken to Dan about it, but I’d bet he’d be happy to participate.)
You, sir, are obfuscating.
Marvelous idea, thanks Greg for the excellant suggestion. Do you think the ENTIRE Council would chime in?
Indeed, I do not. But it would be great if they did!
We shall see on Tuesday, when the council is prepared to vote on advancing and approving more money for the community center. If as you say the council “inherited a disaster”, then I will have to assume you mean both parties since both parties have been in office for more than 10 years.
However, Tuesday we should see a NO Vote on increasing the budget, period. The center should be able to be completed with no further advanced monies. If the majority increases the budget for a community center due to the No Experience to tackle such a complicated remodel, then how much will they increase the decathlon a much larger endeavor before it is complete in a couple of months?