In the most recent Dispatch (front page), we are told:
“…the City has a contractual agreement with SPA Skateparks for design services. New Line Skateparks is partnering on the design project….Kanten Russell, team lead/design project manager for New Line Skateparks, presented the three existing design options for the park…”
The problem with this is that back in December 2020, Finley told us that “staff had received six proposals from contractors for the construction of the skate park…staff ranked Austin-based SPA Skateparks and Lampasas based Lamco Construction as the best qualified to complete the projects.”
New Line Skateparks was never mentioned. EVER.
Finley then told us in January and February of 2021 that “he has met with BOTH the skate park contractor and pavilion contractor to timing, scope and tentative project schedules” and that “preparations for skate park and pavilion construction in Campbell Park are underway.”
Again, NO MENTION OF NEW LINE SKATEPARKS.
In June 2021 (a YEAR AGO!!!) Finley told us that “Design build contractor selected, geo-tech completed – contractor preparing base bid for review by staff”.
Presumably, everything was in the hands of SPA Skateparks to get this thing done A YEAR AGO.
Then it all went off the rails.
Nothing happened for months and months! Finley again teased us in the newspapers in early September 2021 with the assurance that “Design documents for skate park, pavilion set for unveiling Sept. 27”
That never happened either.
Either SPA Skateparks completely screwed the pooch, or Finley did. It can only be one or the other.
NOW, here we are in June of 2022 and we are reading about how New Line Skateparks is “partnering” with SPA Skateparks on the design project. Maybe a better word is “bailing out”? Did SPA get in over their heads and have to bring on New Line Skateparks to actually do the work for them? If so, why in hell are we dealing with these SPA morons at all? Why pay for TWO design companies?
THIS is the question City council needs to ask next Monday: how and when exactly did New Line Skateparks get involved when they were never mentioned back in December 2020 as a “best qualified” company for this?
Bottom line: either SPA Skateparks or Finley deGraffenreid is responsible for a 12 to 15 month delay in this project – a delay that is costing the City hundreds of thousands of dollars.