In Your Corner

We do not expect every elected official to be a construction expert, however we do expect them to recognize their lack of expertise and obtain capable help.

Local government in Martin County has a history of significant problems constructing new buildings. Many citizens may recall the Courthouse debacle. After significantly exceeding the original budget in building the new Courthouse on East Ocean Boulevard, within three years it had to be completely gutted and rebuilt due to construction defects that encouraged toxic mold to grow inside the building. Some funds were eventually recovered from contractors, but the total costs were never made public no matter how hard we tried to obtain these figures. It is probably safe to say the Courthouse is the most expensive building (per square foot) ever constructed in Martin County.

MCTPA has been critical of the average cost per square foot budgeted for new County buildings. The latest proposal by staff suggests the County should build 187,000 square feet of new space and renovate 50,000 square feet of existing space. The projected cost for new space is more than $150 per square foot, excluding land, furnishings, and staff time spent planning and managing construction. There is no analysis of construction defect, risks or budget overruns.

Granted, some new building is required. For example, the Sheriff performs much of his operation out of the temporary trailers that were originally purchased to house the Martin County Courts while the Courthouse was being reconstructed. Clearly, his operation is one that must be properly housed and central to the jail. However, we still question the $150 per square foot for the space. After making inquiries, we have been advised that the average cost for this type of construction would be around $80.00 to $90.00 per square foot, excluding land, furnishings, and staff time.

Several Board members are very familiar with construction costs in the private sector, and believe that the County routinely pays far too much to construct new space. We suggest the County analyze leasing space wherever possible, as it appears likely taxpayers would be better served by this course of action than by funding new construction. The vacancy rate in the area is roughly eighteen percent. Bidding design/build contracts may also be an alternative worth considering.

The School Board appears unqualified to even attempt new construction. The School Board could not bid two new schools without getting into a lawsuit with bidders due to process flaws. After settling the lawsuits, they appear to have been taken advantage of by their selected contractors.

The original budget for the Jensen Beach High School was $32 million dollars. Now that ground has been broken, the revised budget is $50 million dollars before vertical construction even begins. The original budget to reconstruct Salerno Elementary was $8.9M; the revised budget before construction has started is $14M. The School Board is considering raising taxes or requesting an additional half-cent sales tax to make up the deficit in funding needed for other school construction.

Surely there is a better way to obtain new schools than the methods now being used. Taxpayers should not be writing blank checks to fund public buildings. Nor should we be paying Cadillac prices for Chevrolet functions.

We suggest that given the extensive experience in this community with construction and development, both the County and School Board should establish advisory boards with experienced construction professionals to obtain guidance in design, specifications and costs.
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On a more pleasant note, we are hosting our Annual Dinner on March 20 at the Martin Downs Country Club. Our guest speaker is Mr. Rawleigh Warner, Jr. who will speak on "The Status of the Oil Supply". Mr. Warner is a retired Chairman and CEO of the Mobil Corporation. To purchase your $25.00 tickets, please contact us at the address, phone number, or email given below.