It is disingenuous for the mayor and council members Barry Peters, Chris Snow, Kjell Stoknes and Hilary Franz to say that those who do not support the $1.2 million Heery contract for Winslow Way do not support making the infrastructure repairs. This project is essential, but it must have cost controls and prudent project management.

The mayor, and council majority are avoiding the real issue of rampant irresponsible spending for facility acquisition. Did the city have a public advertisement for architectural/engineering services requesting qualifications and project interest? Were submittals reviewed and shortlisted by a pre-selection board? Was a separate selection board convened to interview and rate these candidates?

Was the No. 1 firm then asked to submit a fee proposal based on a scope of work with quantifiable deliverables? Was a negotiation board convened to negotiate, line by line, the A/E proposal with that of the city’s? Were each of these boards recorded with a board report, reviewed by the contracting officer and available to the public for review? Were the rates audited to ensure those working on the project were the ones in the proposal, and that the rates were actual?

The city attorney will tell you professional services are not bid and that the city meets state law requirements. What he does not tell you or advise the city is that you can negotiate effort and you negotiate that effort based on audit-able rates, profit and overhead. The city, to my knowledge, has never used the aforementioned process as our state does not require it. The federal government does. Nothing precludes the city from adapting this process.

If the city attorney is not capable of implementing this process, a contract specialist with this background could. Perhaps our city attorney should be replaced with a contract specialist. The money saved by negotiating the Heery contract alone would pay the contract specialist’s salary.

I have done contract management for 30 years. All things are negotiable and all deliverables are definable in scope, time and cost. I have never negotiated an A/E contract settling at the A/E’s initial proposal – it’s always been lower and no A/E ever walked way. I always knew my project budget, cost and obligations at any point in the process to the penny. Why can’t the city?

People on all sides of this issue must insist that the city rein in this project with controls to prevent huge cost overruns. Barry Peters says he puts himself on the line for this project. Just what is he or any other council member or the mayor putting on the line? Will they put their homes up as collateral for cost overruns or funding shortages? We rate- and taxpayers will. See what happens if you don’t, or can’t, pay your utilities or property taxes.

We need this project, but not without accountability. Bill Knobloch, Kim Brackett, and Debbie Vancil have done their best to make this a viable project with responsibility and accountability, but have been blocked by the divisiveness of the mayor and council majority. The public is well aware of this and is fed up.

Norm Davis

Bainbridge Island