Fred Chang’s Newsclips

Feb 19 2006
By Hilary Maynard, Port Orchard Independent

The Port Orchard City Council met Monday to discuss yet another first step in repairing its rapidly-disintegrating downtown marquee, deciding to spend $24,983 to determine whether last fall’s repair estimates are indeed what the repairs would cost.

CTS Engineers of Bellevue, who told the Council last fall that immediate repairs to the marquee would cost $41,000, has agreed to provide the city with plans for the repairs, plans the city can use to elicit contract bids, and estimates of what the bids might run.

The discussion was added to the agenda of the regular Council meeting late last week after the city’s Public Property Committee made the decision to recommend moving forward with the repair of the marquee.
Councilwoman Carolyn Powers pushed for the immediate repairs to move forward, but other

Councilmembers refused without having a better idea of the costs.

The City’s marquee budget in 2006 in $50,000. The more detailed estimate will take up half the sum right away, said Councilmember Fred Chang, who was the lone dissenting vote in the 6-1 approval of the bid plans.
“I was concerned that the council was spending half of the $50,000 allocated to the marquee for the year, and as a result, not a single picket would be removed,” Chang said. “I was also concerned about the delay before any work would occur. I didn’t see this as being fiscally responsible.

“Part of the reason I didn’t vote for it was that I had heard that a lot of people that volunteered to take the pickets down for free. I think our community would love to get involved in this project.”

Chang said other Councilmembers sympathized with his reasoning and doesn’t know why they voted in the affirmative.

According to Public Works Director Maher Abed, the report from CTS will be available next month and, if approved, bids will be accepted in April. Work could begin on the marquee in June and, if so, would be complete in August.

© Copyright 2005 Port Orchard Independent