SOUNDING OFF:

Here’s how not to build a city hall:

 PRELIMINARY PLANNING

At this time, the council should not examine independently the efficiency of all city departments to determine current and future staffing needs for space planning. It should not consider what technology, innovations, and outsourcing the private sector and other city governments have done and can do to maintain high quality service while reducing staffing needs to make more money available for capital improvements.

It should not examine the growing fiscal demands of our high-priced but average-performing public safety institutions, our city’s sacred cows because of their unions’ ethically questionable council election endorsement. It should not ask why our baffling line-item budget does not disclose who is doing what or at what cost.

The city should not consider the possibility of consolidating the city hall with a police and fire department headquarters in a single project at an appropriate location but instead should go through the same process several times. It should give the city hall project priority over all other capital needs including an unfunded $50,000,000 retirement obligation.

 SITE SELECTION

The council should be indecisive and partisan. It should ignore the site selection committee’s recommendation of suitable sites in Newport Center to let delay create an impasse. Over the council’s several prior votes and the General Plan, let the voters solve the problem by selecting a location originally designated as a public park.

The council should not discuss with the Irvine Company under what terms, if any, it will approve the proposed use before the voters amend the charter to eliminate any other site.

Do not anticipate a plan B If the Irvine Company says no. Don’t plan for delays in city hall and park construction caused by a legal challenge to the referendum.

 IMPROVEMENT DESIGN

Per the Ficker design access limitations, have the project add more traffic to the adjacent San Miguel-MacArthur gridlock fiasco, and do not consider relief offered by entrances or exits from MacArthur or extending Faralon from Avocado Avenue.

Ignore traffic additions to congestion on East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar, traffic from ever-expanding Newport Coast and abusive residential densities planned for Newport Center.

Just locate the two municipal buildings most used in the city adjacent to each other and over-crowded library and Corona del Mar Plaza parking.

The new city hall offers the city an opportunity for self-examination, renewal, and model planning. By a cart in front of horse approach, indecision, and ballot box planning, we will get what we deserve. Don’t our residents deserve better?

GEORGE J. JEFFRIES is a Newport Beach resident.