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SLO to spend extra $90,000 on new parking signs

October 9, 2011

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

The San Luis Obispo City Council approved a $91,500 increase in the cost of a parking sign replacement project at its October 4 meeting.

City staffers told the council in July that the project would cost $11,000, but Parking Services Manager Robert Horch said Tuesday that $102,500 must now be allocated from the parking fund to complete the work. Horch said that a heavy workload has been tying down the city streets crew, so the task needs to be contracted out to a private firm for a bid within an engineer’s estimate of $82,000.

Despite staff’s mismanagement of the project, a majority of the city council voted to move forward with the suggestion to contract the parking sign replacement.

Mayor Jan Marx said the new proposal confused and frustrated her, but she voted for it anyway.

“We didn’t get good information in the first place, and now I don’t understand what we are approving,” Marx said. “I’m going to say to staff, “Please don’t ever do this again.”

In voting with Marx, Vice Mayor John Ashbaugh also said he would continue to place faith in city staff to do the job correctly.

“Despite that the initial estimate was incorrect, I continue to have confidence that this estimate will be correct,” Ashbaugh said.

Council member Andrew Carter cast the remaining vote of approval, while Council members Dan Carpenter and Kathy Smith dissented.

As part of the project overhaul, the council also decided to delay implementation of Sunday parking fees until early 2012.


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Here’s something that got me thinking. So downtown meters would be Higuera, Monterey, Marsh, Broad etc. if I am correct? About four or five running north/south and about the same east west. So how many parking signs in this area? How long does it take to install? How long does it take to install these signs?


I figure if there are 300 signs then that works out to about $333.00 per sign installed. How long does it take to install the signs? One hour? 30 mins? 15 mins? You get my point how much per hour does it work out to?


Also when they got a private company, did they put it out to bid (as I believe you are suppose to) or just get one bid?


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See my post above for answers.


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Mayor Jan Marx said the new proposal confused and frustrated her, but she voted for it anyway.


…much like the people who voted for you, no doubt, madam mayor…


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Are we getting ripped or what? Over $100 grand for signs….I’ll bet someone could do much better than that by searching on the internet. Maybe there’s no one at City Hall Staff that knows how to do that.

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What about the actual work. Lowest bidder….NO Use the Public Works crew when they’re between regular jobs.

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Yeh…give me another Ron Dunin….he would have come apart at this city screwup.


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Pretty cool, is this why we overpaid the city manager to ‘manage’ our affairs? Or has she been hanging out in her Malibu pad and is unaware the city is sinking?


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The next time someone complains about a pot hole in SLO, remember – you got new parking signs!

Almost $100,000 for this? How many people will they lay off to make up for this?


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I thought we are in debt and second why vote for something you don’t like. I think this city doesn’t have its priority’s straight.


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$90K,,,LOL oh my you just have to laugh to keep from pulling your hair out. I try to play devils advocate on a lot of the stories here, I try to look at both sides of the issues but I just can’t help but see SLO county/city politics with either anger or as a joke depending on my mood.


This part of the article is worth repeating:


Mayor Jan Marx said the new proposal confused and frustrated her, but she voted for it anyway.


“We didn’t get good information in the first place, and now I don’t understand what we are approving,” Marx said. “I’m going to say to staff, “Please don’t ever do this again.”


In voting with Marx, Vice Mayor John Ashbaugh also said he would continue to place faith in city staff to do the job correctly.


“Despite that the initial estimate was incorrect, I continue to have confidence that this estimate will be correct,” Ashbaugh said.”


LOL,, ouch,,,sorry my tea came up though my nose when reading this part of the article. Just unbelievable.


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Yeah, when I saw:

Mayor Jan Marx said the new proposal confused and frustrated her, but she voted for it anyway.


“We didn’t get good information in the first place, and now I don’t understand what we are approving,” Marx said. “I’m going to say to staff, “Please don’t ever do this again.”


I just thought: EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP… NOT!


Can the feds please hurry up and bust her so we do not have to put up with the farce that is Mayor Marx?


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I long for the days of Ron Dunin. Maybe we can just make Carpenter the town ruler and do away with the rest these clowns.


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Have to agree with you here, Ron Dunin was a standup guy…

Incompetence run amuck. For sure and for certain, they are going to raise parking rates again to cover this.

I would like to have gotten the bid on this project for that amount of money

.$102,000 for some parking signs?


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“I would like to have gotten the bid on this project for that amount of money $102,000 for some parking signs?”


BINGO, no doubt there’s a crony in the wood pile somewhere. 11K to 102K and Ashbaugh will now have faith that the estimate is correct!


Ashbaugh you dufus, it ain’t correct, but it has a favorable 3-2 vote, so what the heck?


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Seriously with that kind of money a lot of people could probably, with no prior knowledge of making signs, capitalize all the necessary equipment on leases, pay a lawyer to summarize the regulations, print the signs up per reg requirements, ship them here via a 3rd party trucking company, and STILL make a profit. Give HALF that to me, and I’ll have those signs done in 6 weeks.


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Ron Dunin was rude and a bummer. Lousy mayor.


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No doubt he had a difficult time tolerating all the liberal rhetoric. It’s difficult to be pleasant to certain people when they’re a constant source of irritation. ;)


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ouch? I wonder if the folks speaking on his behalf remember him or is this a right wing lock step going on?

And no matter what the public does the council must always maintain a respectful demeanor. Ron didn’t. And he was never attacked, he was just a jerk.


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Your right, I was agreeing with Mkaney and easymoney because I knew that if they (not so much Mkaney but he was backed by easy m) said they liked someone and you said the person they appreciate is a jerk, chances are that he is a reasonable politician that doesn’t put up with any monkey business from the liberal peanut gallery. Yeah you busted me, I never heard of Ron Dunn


But your wrong about it being a “right wing lock step” posse. I had my liberal hat on at the time I teased you and had just finished advocating for the potheads inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of the munchies. I do believe it is their right.


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Oppps I forgot to add the ;)


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Nicest guy you’d ever want to meet. Not a lot of patience for bullcrap. He knew how to manage things and the city ran on the CHEAP. He was accessible to everyone and anyone. He would walk around downtown and would talk to anyone who wanted to stop and talk. He and his wife were Polish immigrants. They were honest, straightforward, hardworking people. He was a little feisty, and despite the fact that he was only about 4’8″ or so, he could make his presence known.


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Oh and the parking meters took pennies in Dunin’s day!


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Although I did not know Ron Dunin personally, he was a very effective mayor and got things accomplished. He was a bit abrupt and could appear rude, but I attribute that to his heritage and thick accent, when dealing with the media or outspoken citizens.


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I live south of SLO…I was there yesterday for a YFL game. I drove into town to spend money. I spent $94 at Firestone for a group of hungry kids and my wife.. I parked 4 blocks away to spend that money so I didn’t have to spend MORE to park and spend my money..The parking empire certainly spreads itself way past the downtown confines….Good job you gougers…


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Ron Dunin was rude? He was a leader maybe a little old school for your taste.

If you want to see rude, maybe Adam Hill will run for SLO Mayor after the next election. He’ll show you rude.


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Ha! Love it!


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Sounds like they should raise the meter rates AGAIN to recapture that money.


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“We didn’t get good information in the first place, and now I don’t understand what we are approving,” Marx said. “I’m going to say to staff, “Please don’t ever do this again.”


EXCELLENT work, Jan Marx. I am SOOOO glad you are in charge of my city. You should be fired for that statement alone.


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