It took some eleventh-hour negotiating from San Luis Obispo County to convince the cities of Paso Robles and Atascadero to rejoin its $13.2 million regional animal shelter project in 2018.
Sticker-shocked, the cities nearly went their separate ways for animal services—before SLO County promised a $1 million discount on the project and a more prominent seat at the planning table.
But those promises may be moot now. Design and construction bids for the 15,000-square-foot shelter recently came back at $20 million, a more than 50 percent spike over initial estimates.
“Obviously, it doesn’t make anybody happy,” said Steve Martin, the mayor of Paso Robles, which agreed to pay its share of the cost increase at a Nov. 5 City Council meeting. “In my opinion, it’s no longer cost efficient to look for another alternative.”
With two bidders to choose from, SLO County picked Lodi-based firm F&H Construction for the project. Now, it’s asking each participating local city to approve an amendment to their financing agreement that raises the cities’ annual payments by about 50 percent.
The unexpected cost increase is being blamed on “a high demand for design and construction of capital projects” throughout California; a labor shortage; and tariffs on building materials, according to staff reports from Paso Robles and the city of SLO.
Paso’s staff report also mentions a “discovery” by the county that the proposed shelter site—near the current shelter on Oklahoma Road off Highway 1—has the same soil stability issues that plague the existing shelter. It was built in 1975 atop a landfill used by the Army in the ’40s.
County administrators did not return a request for comment before press time.
Of the seven city partners on the project, Paso and Atascadero have the highest annual cost—$139,097 and $115,186, respectively—due to their high demand for animal services. Δ
This article appears in Nov 21 – Dec 1, 2019.
Of course the actual construction costs far exceed initial conservative proposal figures. That’s how governments routinely STEAL taxpayer funds.
“Here is our approved development plan! (everyone dance)
Um, well, we thought it was going to cost this amount.
(wink, wink)
But after overruns, it’s actually going to cost this much more. $$$”
~You know how you stop over runs? You fine the builder/developer big $ for exceeding PRE-APPROVED plans. That will stop the BS real fast.
FTR, this family of heavy tax paying N. County residents never wanted an animal shelter built at all unless it was entirely funded by donations from bleeding heart animal fanatics.
Human life is hard enough without KNOWING that your government is going to pish away your hard earned tax dollars over and over again on lame scams.
Yet these local on up to Fed level clown face schemers keep scamming the simpletons/proles.
WAKE UP PEOPLE! The definition of government equals WE THE PEOPLE. They should never be allowed to misuse our funds. EVER!
SMFH…So sick of this ground hog day disease.
Well, it should be obvious that this is the cost of doing the right thing for the humane treatment of animals.
The cities of our county have been a good deal for years since the 1970s and now with dramatic increases of human and animal population, they balk at paying their fair share while getting massive property tax increases with million dollar properties within their borders.
Unfortunately, our county was once small where people cared about one another but, now blatant avarice along with sloughing off community issues on others whenever possible, caring nothing about their neighbors, only themselves.
Well folks, as a long time county resident who remembers this same diversive dialog when the existing shelter was built, marked the beginning to the end of what our county forefathers petitioned incorporation to the state back in 1850.
I strongly suggest you take a moment to review our County Seal on which it is written: “Alcades” “Not for ourselves Alone”.
It should be apparent what they wanted to create, not self serving citizens who care nothing for those less fortunate, including our elderly, children, disabled, poor, sick in body or mind,the homeless including CalPoly/Cuesta students and closing the county general hospital in 2004 who served them and most especially wayward pets who find themselves in a far undersized dilapidated dog pound.
Afterwards, look deeply into a mirror and possibly embrace a tainted reflection worthy of the vane evil queen in Snow White.
Finally, shame on you for teaching our young people by exhibitimg through horrid demonstration, the most terrible examples of having no character being okay too.