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Supervisor Williams presses architects for line-item breakdown of 30% "soft cost" planning contingency
Summary
Supervisor Reginald Williams questioned a 30% soft-cost allocation cited in planning budgets; architect Stephen Halsey said the 30% is a planning contingency (not a design fee) covering contingencies, furniture/equipment, testing/inspection, while design fees are expected to be 6–8%. The board requested more detailed allocations for gym and auditorium costs.
Supervisor Reginald A. Williams, Sr. raised financial-transparency concerns at the July 22 session, asking for a more specific breakdown of the 30% "soft cost" allocation shown in planning budgets for the MHS project.
Mr. Halsey responded that "this is not a design fee." He said the 30% figure is a standard planning contingency intended to cover project contingencies, furniture and equipment, testing and inspection, and other non-design items; he added that expected design fees would range between 6% and 8%. Supervisor Williams specifically requested line-item figures for the gymnasium and auditorium so the board could better understand how the $20–30 million in new construction would be distributed.
The architects did not provide the requested line-item sums in the meeting record; the board concluded the presentation portion and said it would require that information before moving forward.
