header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 28
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir


steveleeMy dad was a floor layer before he became a general contractor. Millions of tourists have walked and continue to walk on my dad’s work.

Many visitors who visit Yosemite make sure to stop off at the Ahwahnee Hotel. The floors are my dad’s work. That was long before he became a general contractor.

Once he became a general contractor, he bid on projects across the continental United States. Most of the time he got bonuses for jobs that were well done and completed before due dates – but there were a few times he had to eat unforeseen problems. He never, ever went back and asked for more money. That would be a violation of his morals and a violation of the bidding process.

The builders of the overpass at Highway 126 and Commerce Center Drive have asked for another $600,000 to finish the project (here’s the story). When the lowest qualifying bid is submitted to the county, the county accepts the bid – and that should be it. The project has to be completed within those parameters. If unseen complications arise, then it should be on the contractor. Unseen complications are always part of the bidding process.

If contractors know there will always be a bailout, then why not bid low on all projects?

All contractors should have to play by the same rules. If this project were being done for a private company, there would be no asking for more money; the contractor would have to suck up the expense and deal with any unforeseen problems.

But this is not for a private company. It is for the county, and the taxpayers will get the bill.

The taxpayers will foot the bill for a project that came directly out of the “One Valley, One Vision” plan. One Valley One Vision is the same plan that oversaw and is still overseeing the collapse of a protected ridge at the Commerce Center. The same plan that is allowing Newhall Land and Farm to destroy natural habitat in a riverbed so they can build 21,000 homes in a flood plain. This is the same plan that allows a massive landfill to ignore its contracts with a neighboring town in order to become one of the largest in North America. The same plan that allowed large building projects all over the valley that were poorly designed so that water would not be allowed, or would be severely limited to seep back into the ground. One Valley One Vision is the same plan that has eroded the natural beauty of this valley so that money can blindly expand without sustainable measures in place.

Maybe before we blindly pay for blunders and unforeseen disasters, we should revisit the One Valley One Vision plan. Make it sustainable growth without destroying the beauty that makes us the Santa Clarita Valley.

Imagine the disaster and the death toll if Interstate 5 had a massive wreck traveling southbound, before the 126. Combine that with a huge fire starting near Castaic, and the residents would have no way out. They will be sitting there in their cars in gridlock, begging for help as they watch the encroaching fire.

Yet they, too, keep building, and at the Castaic Area Town Council meetings, they have brought up the dangers of having one way out.

What happens when the 21,000 homes are established in the Santa Clara River bed, and they have the storm of the century? People will die.

The taxpayers will have footed the bill for all of these blunders, and those who made the profits will sit and watch, free from cares. The taxpayers will not only have paid for the deaths of others, but the destruction of our natural beauty, as well.

Something is wrong with such a system.

 

Steve Lee is a Val Verde resident.

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

5 Comments

  1. Butch Hampton says:

    Bidding is based on the discrete requirements and representations in the Bid Documents, General Conditions, Specification and Drawings for the work and are commonly known in the industry as Contract Documents. The Drawings and Specifications are prepared by Design Professionals that are regulated and licensed by the State and usually hired by the project owner. In simple terms, if there are errors or omissions in these documents which are prepared by others that result in additional cost or time to the Contractor, then the Contractor is entitled to cost and/or time adjustment. Many of the rights and remedies of the respective parties are embraced in the Public Contract Code and confirmed legal cases. However, there can be other concurrent or contributing factors that make discrete determination difficult and often require some other form of resolution.

    Contrary to Mr. Lees thoughts, unforeseen conditions are seldom the contractors’ responsibility.

    I have no stake in this matter but am merely sharing nearly 50 years of practical experience in the Construction Industry.

  2. B Sharp says:

    Butch Hampton is correct. All participating General Contractors bid on the exact same documents and unforeseen conditions are just that – something no entity could have anticipated. However, on many occasions the General Contractors, or requesting party, absorb the costs they are requesting as a good faith act in building relationships. The reason you don’t hear about requests for additional time/money on private projects is precisely because it has nothing to do with tax dollars.

  3. Jim Shorts says:

    Steve, your dad may have been a GC but you obviously know nothing about general contracting and the bidding process. Morals have nothing to do with bidding. If this were the case then let me pose this question to you: if you are a contractor hired by the county to, let’s say, dig a trench for a utility line. During this process you come across major buried obsticals e.g., other utilities lines that no one even knew existed, ancient Indian burial remains, etc. worst case scenario it creates major cost overruns in terms of labor, equipment and materials. You’re telling me that you would let your company go bankrupt and many employees losing their jobs because you would do the ‘moral’ thing? Your argument isn’t even weak it’s downright silly. Have you ever heard of contingencies? Those aren’t for ice cream and cake at the end of the job, they are for just these types of unknowns. Put another way, let’s say you can’t finish the job because you took the moral route and went bankrupt. What do you think will happen? The county would hire another contractor and pay them to finish the job. So they are going to pay one way or the other. Make sense?

  4. jimvs says:

    I concur with Mr. Hampton’s statement regarding construction contracts – as far as it goes. One issue is contract language, the domain of lawyers who usually specialize in contract law. Not all of that contract language is standardized.

    Much of the value in a low-bid contract lies in the details of the Contract Documents noted above.

    Not many large projects (especially public projects) go from contract award to completion and acceptance without significant change, in my experience. Ignoring “acts of God”, a lot of that has to do with which side has the best hired guns aka estimators, engineers, PMs, etc.

    I believe there are many large and successful construction companies producing quality projects for owners as agreed upon. There are some that seem to succeed based on other skills.

    A friend of mine with construction and CM experience across the US once told me, “Why do you think they call them Contractors? If they made their money by just building things, they’d call them Builders.”

Leave a Comment


Opinion Section Policy
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Read More From...
RECENT COMMENTARY
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024
Springtime in Santa Clarita brings not only vibrant blooms and opportunities to embrace the outdoors with warmer weather, but also an array of free, family-friendly events and this Saturday is no exception.
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024
Did you know that each year, Main Street in Old Town Newhall undergoes countless makeovers for different events, such as Light Up Main Street and the Fourth of July Parade?
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, issued the following statement Thursday in response to an announcement by Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel of a proposal to change how calls to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline are routed.
Monday, Mar 18, 2024
Unlike our children who enjoy a week-long spring break, we adults no longer have that luxury.
Friday, Mar 15, 2024

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDEC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
The first Music Jam Session at The MAIN was held on Thursday, Feb. 22 and was a hit. Come out and join in for the next one on Thursday, March 28 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
March 28: The MAIN to Host Musicians’ Jam Session
Los Angeles County Inspector General Max Huntsman of the Office of Inspector General has issued a report entitled "Tenth Report Back on Implementing Body-Worn Cameras in Los Angeles County."
Office of Inspector General Issues Latest Report on LASD Body Cams
College of the Canyons women's tennis played to a convincing 7-2 conference win over Ventura College on Moica to strengthen its potential playoff resume.
Canyons Closes Out Ventura 7-2 in Final Home Match
Join the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce with the Latino Business Alliance at the Cinco de Mayo Networking Celebration on Tuesday, May 7.
May 7: Latino Business Alliance Cinco de Mayo Celebration
The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control is hosting March Meowness promotion where all cat adoptions are just $15 from now until April 9.
Adopt a Cat During March Meowness at Castaic Animal Center
California State University, Northridge is partnering with the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and the Tataviam Land Conservancy to battle the impact of climate change in disadvantaged communities throughout the San Fernando Valley by establishing “urban forests.”
CSUN Partners with Fernandeño Tataviam Band to Build Urban Forests
Join the Santa Clarita Artists Association on Monday, April 15, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, 23630 Valencia Blvd., Valencia, CA 91355, for the SCAA monthly meeting and guest demonstrator.
April 15: SCAA Presents Debbie Abshear Watercolor Demo
Residents are invited to join members of the Santa Clarita City Council for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the addition of Santa Clarita's 38th park, Skyline Ranch Park, 18355 Skyline Ranch Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91351, to the Santa Clarita parks system on Saturday, April 6, at 10 a.m.
April 6: Grand Opening for Santa Clarita’s 38th Park
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center is preparing for the annual fundraising event, Celebrity Waiter, with the theme “California Dreamin’” on Saturday, April 27 at Bella Vida, 27180 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91351.
Table Sponsorships Still Available for Celebrity Waiter Dinner
Springtime in Santa Clarita brings not only vibrant blooms and opportunities to embrace the outdoors with warmer weather, but also an array of free, family-friendly events and this Saturday is no exception.
Ken Striplin | A Fun, Festive, Egg-Filled Day
SCVNews.com