New City Hall will be feather in Rehoboth’s cap

I am a licensed architect and I have served as a member of the City Hall Complex Task Force since its beginnings in 2011. Prior to retirement, I managed major design and construction projects in the United States Capitol Complex for a period of 11 years. I know a well-managed project when I see it. I can say without hesitation that the City Hall project has been exceptionally well structured and managed under the leadership of Mayor Sam Cooper.

Here are some facts:

1. Our mayor provided continuous leadership of the task force. Early on, the task force included two commissioners and four citizen members, including two architects, a member of the local business community, a local accountant/financial advisor, the police chief and the chief building inspector. The task force was later expanded to include all commissioners who have been involved in every decision regarding the project from that time on. The task force met at least five times during the years 2012-15 and once early in 2016. Since then, the mayor and commissioners have controlled the project process and decisions. Of course, all of these meetings were open to the public.

2. The first few meetings of the task force were devoted to the question of whether or not the existing city hall structure could be saved and renovated. We did not enter this process with a predetermined judgment that we needed a new building. That came only after it became clear that the existing structure was far too flawed, especially with respect to complying with ADA and fire protection requirements. On multiple occasions, the mayor invited citizens to tour the old building. The recommendation to tear down and replace came from our architect/construction management team. It was evident to all that the only rational approach was to follow the team’s recommendation.

3. Step one in the design process was the establishment of program requirements – that is, to determine exactly what departments, offices, number of employees, etc., the new building would be designed to handle. The consultants, working closely with City Manager Greg Ferrese, Mayor Cooper and the commissioners, developed tight program requirements. They were based upon the principle that there will be minimal future need for additions to the city staff.

4. Mayor Cooper wisely chose to hire a design/construction management team rather than a single entity. This was intended to ensure that cost estimates of the architect’s emerging designs would be provided by an independent construction manager. Throughout the design process, each design refinement was accompanied by such an independent cost estimate. I must add that the same architect-construction management team approach has been followed with great success in almost every major project in the United States Capitol Complex in the past 20-plus years.

5. In June 2015, the citizens of Rehoboth Beach approved, by a vote of 701-544, authorization for the city to borrow up to $18 million for the project. Looking at project costs, it is important to note that the original $18 million estimate was based upon early design development phase work, which typically means that major decisions on building systems and finishes are yet to be made. With this project, bids were received from a fewer than ideal number of companies and were $1.5 to $2.0 million over the $18 million target. City commissioners voted unanimously to accept the low bid with the understanding that additional costs of the project above $18 million would be accounted for in the next several annual budget cycles. The mayor and commissioners felt this was realistic and could be accomplished.

Necessary and desirable change orders are currently at 7 percent of total project, not out of normal for a project such as this. The current estimated total cost of $20.6 million is offset by a $3 million savings thanks to Mayor Cooper’s ability to negotiate a USDA loan at a lower than anticipated interest rate. The net total cost of the project, then, is actually $17.6 million, less than voters approved. (Loan carrying costs are left out of this analysis because they would apply under the terms of the voter approval and in any other circumstance.)

Enough said. These are the facts. Mayor Cooper has structured and managed the City Hall project with a very high degree of skill. We need him to stay in office to continue his leadership and apply his considerable knowledge and skills to the Ocean Outfall project. Please vote for Sam Cooper Aug. 12.

Jim Ellison
Rehoboth Beach