by Garth Meyer
Replacing two fire stations, and perhaps more city buildings, took a step further Tuesday night, June 11, as the Redondo Beach city council voted 4-1 to move toward running a bond measure as soon as November.
Councilmembers spoke of limiting the scope to the two fire stations – and potentially a new, single-location police headquarters – after hearing a consultant’s estimates for renovations vs. replacement.
The numbers included that of city hall and the Public Works yard too.
To renovate all of the above, Griffin Structures (Irvine) estimated $84 million. To replace them, $160 million.
The council would need to decide by Aug. 6 to get on the November ballot. All the while, the Redondo Beach Unified School District prepares to do the same for a projected $300 million bond and Beach Cities Health District intends to go for $30 million.
“There’s as much strategy involved in this political calculation as anything else,” said City Manager Mike Witzansky.
“It’s tight,” said Mayor Jim Light, of the timeline.
“It’s very tight. There’s no question about it. But it’s possible,” Witzansky said. “… If you’re not all supporting this, I don’t think it’s worth our time.”
Councilman Nils Nehrenheim was the lone “no” vote Tuesday, saying he wanted more time to fill in details.
“I’ve been asking for a survey on this for more than a year,” he said.
Dustin Alamo, Griffin Structures vice president, strategic services, spoke to the council Tuesday, after visiting various city facilities to compile estimates.
“A lot of the (buildings) need a drastic renovation, if not a replacement,” Alamo said.
Griffin’s evaluation did not include analysis from structural engineers, only observation paired with considering market trends.
Nehrenheim asked why the historic library was not included in the survey, and Fire Station Three at King Harbor.
Witzansky said the six facilities on the list were deemed the most critical.
Councilman Todd Loewenstein, a former school board member, gave his perspective.
“This may be the most important thing you do while you’re up here. Narrowing the scope is important… This will pass by at least 51% but the question is, will it pass by the (necessary) two-thirds, or even 55% with ACA1,” he said, referring to a state constitutional amendment on the fall ballot which would make a Redondo city bond only need a 55% margin.
Witzansky projected that a proposed local measure would come out to $13 per $100,000 of residents’ assessed property value.
“A lot of the work is going to be done by us, guys,” Loewenstein said, as far as encouraging people to vote.
Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., said he thinks the bond would need to be “$150 million, up to $200 million,” acknowledging that he estimated $100 million in May.
“We haven’t made a major investment in our city in a long time,” he said.
Mayor Light said he was “generally supportive” of a bond, and thought, “$150 million is maybe the right number.”
Councilman Scott Behrendt suggested $85 million, or at least under $100 million “could be more palatable.”
“Let’s be the option (for voters saying), ‘If I have to pick between these two…’”
He said the two fire stations likely need a full replacement, citing presentations Nehrenheim has made on the subject.
“Let’s limit this to serious public safety items,” Behrendt said.
“It is our legacy,” said Councilmember Paige Kaluderovic, recommending a “two figure number rather than three” and to include Public Works infrastructure.
“An $80 million number would be absolutely foolish,” Obagi said. “People know what construction costs.”
“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of great,” said Witzansky, who has worked for the city since 2006. “If we get four major facilities it’s a total victory, from my perspective.”
“I support this in concept, we just have to do this right,” Nehrenheim said.
The council could wait, and run a bond next March during city elections, or call a special election anytime.
Redondo Beach firefighters union president Kenny Campos thanked the council for their discussion.
“Our membership appreciates you moving forward, and being accountable for what you said last time,” he said, referring to calls in May by councilmembers for a potential bond when they ended a six-year exploration of whether to contract with Los Angeles County for fire services.
In the end, Tuesday night, the motion from Obagi, Jr. which passed is to have Griffin deliver cost estimates for a new, single-location police station, cost estimates for expanded square footage of two reconstructed fire stations and for the city to hire a firm to survey voters on the potential size of the bond and what it would include.
City staff will report back to the council in early July. ER
