Ground breaking of hospital coming soon after city commission approved the project cost. Mel Kuhn voted against it largely because he doesn't like the $300,000 contingency fee. Odd, because Kuhn takes credit for keeping the project alive by advocating a design-build project instead of a project manager, which saves several million dollars. Even Kuhn-critic Pat McDonald gives him some credit for this. But now, in the end, he opposes the deal with the general contractor to build the hospital. Will he become known as the commissioner who voted against the hospital?
You never know with the mercurial Mel Kuhn.
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3 comments:
I don't always agree with Kuhn...in fact, seldom. I don't agree now with the reason for his negative vote but I do agree that some things changed between point A and Point C in the hospital. What happened to the medical offices which were discussed and now are being said to have just been included in the drawing to show the "possibilities".
I thought that those were part of the deal...even heard grumbling about the city "can build me an office too" and that was the reason some even voted against the project.
Who is in charge...the city, the hospital board, the contractor, the doctors? Does anyone know what the others are doing. Did the office building disappear from the hospital and go to the docs?
It may very well be accurate, it may very well be that there are no misrepresentations but I think it is the responsibility of all involved including the Traveler to discuss the questions that are there. This is not a project that should continue behind closed doors and if there are questions ALL parties involved need to explain. Keep the excitement about the hospital with facts and not hearsay.
It was my understanding that part of the original design was a medical office building (MOB). Much of that was removed so that the actual hospital facilities (which are more expensive) could be enlarged. As I understand, the doctors are working to build a separate MOB next to the hospital with private financing. I have no experience in these matters, but it makes sense to me. We get more hospital for the buck, and the MOB makes room for more doctors.
On a side note... don't all contractors plan a contingency fee? I've only had one opportunity to hire a contractor when I built my home, but the contingency fee was listed on my estimate even then. I would like to hear more opinions on this.
Don't expect the Traveler to ask too many questions about the discrepancies in the cost, as they are not capable of seeing through the 'smoke'. Kuhn is probably upset because his company didn't get any part of the plumbing or HVAC contracts, or did they?!
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