The Boys on the Beach
They were all there last night to answer questions as to why a brand new casino that has yet to be issued a Certificate of Occupancy is visibly falling apart from hinges, rust, cracks, mold, leaks, and the list goes on. Even Wes Blackman was there with tripod set-up at the perfect angle to film Commissioner McVoy who wasn't there. McVoy was at the ICU at Wellington Regional Hospital visiting a dying friend who was not expected to live past the day and had requested that the city clerk inform the commission. If she did, they were silent.
When Morganti, the contractor, was asked about all the hidden features, it was stated that they used high strength concrete and galvanized ribars..."very stout," he said. It was also mentioned that the quality of what they used was determined by the budget--"depending upon the budget, there are a lot of different types of stainless steel." Morganti told me that most of the items on the 182 punch list have already been corrected but during the meeting he said that all those items on the warranty list would be corrected in one week, the others a little longer. Do we know what they were corrected with? Who is in charge?
Some of the same old questions were hashed over such as pilings, condemnation of the building by Farinelli, a building inspector used in the beginning to support razing the building and if it was a rehabilitation or considered new. Maxwell wanted to know what significant things were cut from the original plan and was told cisterns and a reduction in Leed certification.
Scott Maxwell, who said that he has been a Doubting Thomas every step of the way, admitted that he has not taken one foot onto the project since construction started but he had the most poignant and probing questions. City Manager Bornstein assembled a new management team right after he was hired having fired the assistant city manager who was in charge to oversee the beach redevelopment. His team, that he says is spending the majority of its time on the beach, is William Waters, Jamie Brown, Juan Ruiz, and Steve Carr.
On May 15, REG had sent a letter to Morganti with a carbon copy to William Waters that the city was responsible for maintaining the building but it was brought out that the City had nothing in writing regarding Lake Worth's responsibility to maintain the building from that date. When Bornstein was asked, he replied that there is a "glitch issue." He did not answer the question and no one on the dais forced an explanation. Why not?
Considering the serious and costly circumstances, the Commission took a friendly and facilitative approach with those who worked on the $6 million Casino project, hoping that they will catch more flies with honey than they would with vinegar and that the contractor will correct the problems with the right materials.
17 comments:
It was a friendly and jovial atmosphere considering the circumstances. Odd, really.
$6,000,000 and they had to skimp on hardware. BULL CHIT
The question of the pilings came up and was kind of glossed over. The question should have been. If it were up to REG and Morganti would they have recomended new pilings or at any point did they do so to the city? I quess the seawall issue is still up in the air.
Oil rubbed bronze hardware on the beach is not the way to go. It should have been a good grade stainless steel.
Left out of the budget, but work that was done included $2,000,000 in Lighting and $1,500,000 in Utilities necessary to make the Casino operational.
With $6,000,000 borrowed from the Utility Enterprises, who are we paying for these additional costs and other things like the REG $450,000 fee?
It was stated that special and additional maintenance was required for this oceanfront building. Has that additional cost been incorporated into the maintenance contracts?
Too many old white guys in this picture, we need more blacks and Hispanics in leadership positions in this city. It is coming, sooner than you all think, just look at the population of this city, mostly Haitians and Guatemalans now, they will be our leaders very soon.
Where was Commissioner Mulvehill? Wasn't this her "Hands Around the Building" project?
Where Oh Where were Mulvehil, and McVoy last night? This was suppose to be their Glory Moment.
Commission Mcvoy sitting at his dying friends bedside at Wellington Regional Hospital, should we be demanding the friends name, the illness that he had, and did he expire? Those are all the things that your friend Anna-beth Carson did when Reatha Lowe's Mother died.Of course she was so ignorant she didn't know that Reatha Lowe's husband was named Lowe, and her Mother had a different name.
The McVoy part was answered. Mulvehill had other business. This was ONLY a workshop. Your making it out like there was some important vote to be made.
Tell me again how holes were drilled in reinforced concrete floors to drain water into tenant space below. So much for the professionalism of our international construction partner.
Weren't we told that Morganti was out partner because they weren't taking any profits from any construction savings? I guess the part were Morganti was going to be paid twice for some work that needed to be redone was left out.
What in hell is your problem, anonymous at 1:56? This has nothing to do with Retha or her mother or Annabeth. But if you are so insultingly curious, call Christopher.
Actually I was more interested in Mulvehil, the Casino was suppose to be her Moment of History here in Lake Worth, and now that the truth is coming out she is NO where to be found. Just like she TRIED to distance herself from the Height Petition.
The Casino was definitely saved by Mulvehill. If some had their way, there would have been NO casino.
This was a WORKSHOP. It was not a VOTING meeting. It was not important other than to hear the contractors story.
What TRUTH is coming out? Do you really believe that she is responsible for inferior products?
Correct Lynn if some had their way there would have been nothing but a park there now Cara and Varela to be exact. Now we have a second rate building. If the outside is already rusting out before we even cut the ribbon, what do you think is going on inside the walls.
More like Jim Stafford if you want to be exact.
Morganti answered the question regarding the inside of the building that is invisible to the naked eye--if you can believe it. I find it difficult but then I question everything when given a reason. All those involved in building our casino have given us reasons to doubt. Really awful that they made it difficult to trust them. I want to see proof that every bit of material they used was of the best quality for the purpose for building a building to last for 50 years.
No a good idea for either of these cronies to show up... the photo op would not have been positive.
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