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Fort Lauderdale commissioners approve change orders for troubled police headquarters as peer review flags life‑safety issues
Summary
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission approved construction management change orders for the new police headquarters despite a WJE peer review that identified life‑safety concerns; staff said the work funded by the change orders does not address the phase‑2 items and that repairs appear remediable pending detailed engineer responses.
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission on May 6 approved construction management change orders tied to the new police headquarters while awaiting fuller technical responses to a peer review that flagged “life‑safety” concerns for some structural elements.
The vote approved an amendment to the construction management at‑risk contract (Moss and Associates) to continue project services; the motion passed 4–1, with Vice Mayor John Herbst voting no.
The decision came after public commenters urged the commission to halt work. “This needs to stop,” said Barbara Stern, a resident and frequent public commenter, describing the project as a “money pit” and urging an independent review before more money is spent.
City staff responded that the change order before the commission was limited to contract administration and other outlined services and does not cover the phase‑2 items raised in the peer review. “This is within the budget that was approved by the city commission previously. So we’re not asking for additional funds,” Assistant City Manager Anthony Fajardo told the commission.
Why it matters
Engineers and the commission have been reviewing a multi‑part peer review and monitoring program after structural deflection was reported in part of the building. The peer review (WJE) classifies findings into categories including life safety, serviceability and documentation, and it lists recommended timelines for corrective actions. Commissioners said they wanted clear confirmation that any identified defects were remediable and to know who would pay for repairs.
What officials said and did
Fajardo summarized the engineering and oversight steps: the original engineer of record (Thornton Tomasetti as a subconsultant to AECOM), follow‑up reviews by Lactis Engineering, and a WJE peer review that is handling phase‑2 analysis. He said micropiles have been installed where needed, glass was being refabricated to fit altered openings caused by deflection, and daily monitoring remains in place.
“We do plan on [WJE] coming here on May 20 for a presentation, which at that time they can really dig into why they made the comments the way they did and what they feel the implications are to the project,” Fajardo said.
Commissioner Beasley Pittman asked whether any personnel would be moved into the building while questions remained. “I do agree with that, and we’ve had conversations with manager Williams as well as the police chief, and that is our intent. We want it to be a fully functioning, safe structure that everyone can be confident in before we start utilizing it,” Fajardo replied.
Public pressure and next steps
Several speakers, including Stern, urged a formal workshop and an independent neutral review. Commissioners asked for more complete responses to the WJE report; staff said AECOM and Thornton Tomasetti must review WJE’s comments before some items can be resolved. The commission was told staff hopes to present answers for some items at the May 20 meeting and to provide a more robust response at the June 3 meeting if necessary.
The action the commission approved on May 6 extends construction administration services and authorizes work that staff described as necessary to complete the project under the existing contract and budget. Staff also said it will seek reimbursement from the design consultant for items attributed to errors and omissions where appropriate.
What the vote was
The motion to approve the Moss and Associates change order passed 4–1. Vote recorded: Commissioner Steve Glassman — yes; Commissioner Beasley Pittman — yes; Commissioner Ben Sorensen — yes; Vice Mayor John Herbst — no; Mayor Dean J. Trantalis — yes.
What remains unresolved
The commission requested a full presentation and Q&A with WJE and AECOM; staff said some clarifications might be available May 20 but that a June meeting may be needed for a comprehensive response. Staff emphasized it will not place personnel into the building if the structure is not deemed safe.
Provenance
First related public comment: "Why are we still paying AECOM?... This needs to stop." (transcript block at s=2461.19) Last related action and roll call: "M 3 is now approved." (transcript block at s=3923.69)
