IT’S A BUOY ….IT’S A MONUMENT … JUST FLOATING THE IDEA… PUN INTENDED!…
Dear Readers … There is definitely a big disconnect between the Town Commission …Town Administration…Town Attorney and The Artificial Reef Project vendor, Dr. Goreau and his “associates” Marc Furth and Cry of the Water… when it comes to what they walked away from the July 28, 2010 workshop concerning the direction given as the meeting adjourned…
A look at the workshop backup online and the archived video …(links below) …along with the previous post on this site show the direction given from the Town Commission..Town Administration and Town Attorney was to review and renegotiate the contract that is now in breach as well as iron out the particulars included in it that need specificity …such as the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of this “research project” to meet the requirements of the permits received from various State and County agencies over the next five years as well as making sure the permits themselves are in order and the Town will not be liable for any misleading content or lack of compliance in the short and long term… Vice Mayor Dodd also made it clear the first buoy should be used and only after seeing it was able to float and to do the job as Dr. Goreau stated it was and it could …. should the Town move forward on any additional buoys…period!
That said…almost one month later in the Interim Town Manager’s Report for the Regular Commission Meeting August 25, 2010 item 16a.
“Coral Reef Project
Dr Goreau indicated to me in a telephone conversation last week that they are proceeding with the construction of two more buoys and that the financial situation on the project has had the positive impact of forcing some reductions in the cost of constructing the buoys while at the same time improving their design. He indicated the second and third buoys will be a single unit solid polyurethane buoys smaller and stronger than the original buoy. He told me they have raised some funds and he thinks he has sufficient money to complete the three buoys. He indicates he expects them to be completed soon.
I explained to him that the Town wants to have the contract amended to clarify responsibilities amend the schedule to eliminate the current breach of contract and modify the payment schedule so we are not fronting the entire remaining $27,000 to them before the work that it is intended to pay for installation of the project monitoring maintenance and repairs for twelve months after installation is done suggested a series of payments Dr Goreau would not commit to such an arrangement until he spoke to the others assisting him on the project.
I have given the Town Attorney a list of issues to be addressed in a new contract with the Coral Reef Alliance and have asked her to develop a new contract so we can send that to Dr Goreau for consideration.”
BC- Readers will recall a Pompano Pelican article on Aug 13, 2010 (prev. post) stating that former CIC Chair Bob Roberts donated $6,000 dollars along with other donations of $3,000 according to Comm. Clottey toward the project… That must have been enough for the Dr. Goreau and his “associates” to proceed…totally without regard to the Town’s stance…
Adding to this sudden sprint to the finish after 4 years of delays …comes word that suddenly Marc Furth contacted the Town to say they are now ready to turn over the large yellow buoy that has been sitting out in front of his motel to the Town…Hmmmm…. Not so fast….
We also hear, that VM Dodd has made it clear upon receiving news of the handover at this juncture …..not until the Town sees if it floats!…
Well, look at it this way…If it doesn’t ….and since the donations for the over-sized yellow buoy did so well compared to no donations for the granite monument the Commission wanted donations for from residents to commemorate their stint as Town Commissioners…perhaps it could become the Commissioner’s monument …complete with plaques…
After all, it would still be one step up from former Vice Mayor McIntee’s suggestion of putting the bronze plaques on the $75,000 flagpole bases at the entryway on Commercial Blvd!…
http://www.lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov/town/backup2009.htm
http://lbts.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2
more to come…
Tags: $50, 000 Buoy Or Monument In LBTS, Lauderdale By The Sea Artificial Reef Project Buoys ...New And Improved?, LBTS Agendas/Meetings, local government, Local Politics, Scoops
