Westminster's $1 Million Dollar Gamble

By Bob Crossley

The City has awarded a contract to Anshen + Allen - Los Angeles, an architectural firm, to design a Community Cultural Center for Westminster.

"The fee shall be broken down by phases in the following amounts:

Schematic Design Phase: $270,900.00 (18%)
Design Development Phase: 301,000.00 (20%)
Construction Documents Phase: 586,950.00 (39%)
Bidding or Negotiation Phase: 30,100.00 (2%)
Construction Administration Phase: 316,050.00 (21%)

Total Basic Compensation: $1,505,000.00"

Note that through the "Construction Documents Phase," the City has spent $1,158,850.00. This is the amount of the City's gamble with taxpayers' money because paragraph 8.2 states: "The parties acknowledge and agree that upon completion of the Construction Documents, the parties anticipate that there may be a suspension of the Project for up to eighteen months while Owner locates and budgets funding for the construction phase of the Project."

This is an admission that Westminster has entered into a contract, for an amount in excess of $1 million, to have someone design a facility that may never be built. I consider this a reckless use of tax dollars. That's $1 million that can no longer be used for streets and parks.

Let's address this messy, expensive illusion in this election and get back to rational public policy. Please, give me your vote on November 5th.