On September 12, the Community is looking for tangible results from this work session. The County Boards needs to express clear and achievable project requirements that will enable the architects to finalize a mutually agreeable conceptual design. If the County Board is unable to do so, it must recognize this and stop interfering with the independent School Board's project.
A quick background: The School Board was set to take action on this design in early August, 2008. However, the County Board asked for a delay on the vote. The stated intent by Mr. Tejada, County Board chair, was to address several outstanding issues the County has, including the exterior design and the location of the bus loop. The School Board agreed to the delay and rescheduled the action for 10/2/08.
We met with Chris Zimmerman, County Board member, on 9/7/08. Mr. Zimmerman expressed that he felt confident that the Wakefield design issues could be worked out within the next 2 months, enabling the School Board to take action on the design as scheduled for 10/2. He also insisted we have "plenty of time" to complete the design phase since construction will not begin until 2014.
Differing Perspectives
Why do we remain concerned? The County and the Community have conflicting perspectives regarding the implications of this project timeline.
This is where our perspectives diverge. What the County Board and its staff view as "plenty of time," we view as risk. After all, it's been 18 months of committee meetings and architectural reviews and we still have no conceptual design. The County-induced process has demonstrated a basic inability to resolve resolvable issues.
After much nonsense -- and we do mean nonsense -- the Superintendent found a design the two competing committees agreed on. Yet here we are, hoping to define the stumbling block all along -- the thus far intangible "Civic Charisma."
Effective organizations manage and minimize risk. Allowing any one project phase to span an indeterminate time horizon with vague or ill-defined requirements introduces greater risk including:
• Delays to the construction start date
• Increased cost
• Project derailment as competing budget priorities arise
• Lost time by staff and our elected officials on both Boards – time that should be spent, at this point, on other important school and community issues.
This is a long-term construction project. “Milestone” is not a buzzword; it is a risk-management tool. “Conceptual” design requires the same clear direction, goals and progress as any other phase. The work product is obviously not concrete, but the process should still be goal-oriented and well managed. To put it directly, the County Board must use this work session to take ownership of its broken process and enable the School Board to reach its 10/2 milestone to move this project to schematic design.
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