Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Council approves interim expansion of convention center program management amid oversight questions
Loading...
Summary
Council approved Amendment No. 1 to expand Conventional Wisdom's program management contract for the $125 million convention center modernization, increasing availability from $150,000 to $300,000 with an additional $150,000 drawn from Measure J funds (reimbursable by project debt). Council questioned pacing, oversight, and transparency of consultant layers.
Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city's program management agreement for the Palm Springs Convention Center modernization project, expanding the not-to-exceed funding available to Conventional Wisdom from $150,000 to $300,000.
Wayne Olson, the city's chief economic development officer, told the council that the expansion reflects a surge in oversight needs as the project moves from concept to design and includes oversight of three design teams, contract administration, and capital expenditure management. "We're in a $125 million project," Olson said, noting the city now has nearly $3 million of design costs on contract and dozens of meetings weekly. Staff projected the consultant spend from March through June at roughly $120,000 and justified the amendment as interim program administration while the city issues an RFP for an owners' representative.
Council members pressed staff on whether the existing $56,000 in the original economic development allocation could be used or reclassified to avoid a supplemental request and asked for clearer reporting on cumulative consultant fees. Mayor Pro Tem asked whether the city could rely on internal staff for the next few months; Olson said city leadership could do so but that doing so would overtax staff and jeopardize other work.
Council also discussed reimbursement accounting: Olson said Measure J funds would be used for the additional $150,000 so those costs can be reimbursed by project debt; funds spent from the economic development budget would not be reimbursable.
The motion to approve the amendment was made and seconded on the record and the council voted in favor of the staff recommendation.
Next steps: staff will continue the RFP process for an owners' representative, monitor consultant invoices closely, and provide further budget tracking and reconciliations as requested by council.
