Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/114013
Sarasota News Leader March 8, 2013 "You're billing hours," Barbetta said. "The cost is still there," Brownman told Barbetta. Page 23 With smaller projects, Robinson pointed out, the consultants already working on them probably could handle more oversight through the construction phase instead of the county having to hire outside firms. "This might be a place where we can hit a sweet spot and save some money," she said. Barbetta agreed but pointed out of the South Lido project, "We're not giving money to the contractor. It's an internal charge and that's why I have a problem. … To the public, it's Staff already had been talking with Sweet looking like a $1.3 million project when in re- about expanding the scope of his firm's conality it's a $900,000 project." tract, Brownman told her. "We can proceed Nonetheless, Barbetta continued, "At least to- with that if that is the board's will," he added. day [the figures] alleviate the concern we're "We really do need to take a hard look at the building a gold-plated restroom facility." practices we have been using," Patterson said, "and make sure we are fair." Robinson pointed out that the situation was one of accounting. Additionally, Patterson said she would like to see staff spend more time working on the esPatterson questioned whether project costs timate for each new project instead of relying were being inflated through the internal on costs for previous, similar projects, to calcharges system. culate expenses. Brownman replied that he and James K. Har- Vice Chairman Charles Hines pointed out that riott Jr., the county's chief engineer, had been the county needed "a change in the way that discussing the situation with staff in the Office we have been doing business. This is [notice] of Financial Planning, looking "at opportuni- going to all staff and the administration," he ties to change this model, if possible." added, "when we have to explain to the public "I sort of wonder if you aren't, in your internal support figure, sort of double-supervising stuff beyond the point that it's actually needed," Patterson told him. why a bathroom at a beach costs [$1.3 million]." Barbetta made the motion to approve the contract; Patterson seconded it. An outside construction manager can spend Just before the vote, however, Patterson "significantly more time on a project than our asked Sweet whether the ramp would be the resources can afford," Brownman responded. only way to enter the new facility. Furthermore, he said, if the County Commission hired someone to assist internally as a construction manager, that person would not be able to work on every project going on at the same time, because of the demands of the work. "The ramp is the only way up," he replied. Parks and Recreation Department staff had indicated to his firm, Sweet continued, that liability issues had arisen in the past with steps. Moreover, he said, if the project had steps, they would be "going up 9 feet in the air." %