Published: August 16, 2008 10:11 pm            

Surprise!

How much per brick Third Avenue project is costing

I wondered why progress on the much touted and very expensive “re-bricking” of one block of Third Avenue had seemingly stalled.

I noticed for a few weeks that cars were being allowed to park on a portion of the block. I thought maybe it was a way to make sure that the base was completely compacted prior to putting the brick back down, using “volunteer” labor and vehicles.

Now, the answer may be a bit more clear.

About $87,000 more clear, it seems.

Tuesday night, your city council will be asked to approve an additional $87,000 for the one-block project because of what is being called a faulty engineering study. Seems beneath those “quaint brick” was another slab that needs to be dug up.

Another $87,000 to do it? Sure, why not?

The folks at the Government Center will be quick to tell you that a grant for $150,000 is funding a portion of the project. And, that’s a good thing, I guess, when you can get a few bucks back from Austin.

But how about a little weekend math?

Add to that $150,000 grant another $150,000 (matching funds to enable us to get the grant) and you get ... let’s see ...carry the nine .... naught and naught is ... $300,000.

Don’t put your calculator away yet.

At some point, we had to add another $91,000 or so to the kitty to get the job done. I don’t recall exactly why, but increased costs and such come to mind.

Breaking out the big Number 2 pencil and again honing my 1960s era math skills I come up with an answer of $391,000. (Double checking — $300,000 plus $91,000 — yes, it comes to $391,000).

Should your city council approve the additional expenditure — like they are going to presented with an option not to — that’s going to push us dangerously close to a half-million dollars for one block of brick street.

One Half Million Dollars of your tax dollars spent.

One block of city street repaired.

Like the Mastercard commercial says ... priceless!

Someone will likely be quick to point out that it isn’t really one-half million dollars — its only $478,000.

Fine. Point away. I’ll wait here.

Throw in the whole “grant” thing, too, while you’re at it. I’m in no hurry.

(Humming a memorable disco-era tune while I wait ... )

If the pointing and throwing is over — and even if it isn’t — I’ll continue.

I hope that this little “almost” half-million dollar project opens an eye or two at Ye Old City Hall.

As I hope that “Railcar-Gate” has done as well. That’s another six-figure project gone awry under the watchful eyes of our city government.

As we move forward with plans for improving the look and feel of our city — which are indeed good things to do — I hope we’ve learned a valuable lesson or two from those two municipal projects.

Someone I worked for once always told me to “inspect what you expect.”

Unfortunately, in this case, that advice is about $478,000 too late.

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Bob Belcher is Managing Editor of the Daily Sun. His column appears on Sundays. He may be reached by e-mail at belcher@corsicanadailysun.com.

        

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