Deerfield-News. com-Deerfield Beach, Fl-In continuing with the investigation of the cost of lifeguard stands. We have requested the Public records from Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Pompano Beach, Hollywood, and Miami Beach. We have found the Inspector Generals’ Report from 2018. This was in regard to the cost and bidding process the city of Delray Beach used to purchase lifeguard stands. The Palm Beach Post published the below story about the Office of Inspector Generals’ report regarding the cost of lifeguard towers in Delray Beach.
The report indicated no wrongdoing and that the costs were feasible. We have the link to the report and the story done by Lulu Ramadan at The Palm Beach Post.
We have received the costs from Pompano Beach on their purchase of lifeguard stands. The requested public records documents are more than 200 pages. The information received also includes costs from neighboring cities for lifeguard stands. That said it appears that most beach towns in South Florida that have purchased new lifeguard stands have spent a lot more money than the average person would think they cost.
Deerfield Beach sent us the public records requested showing what the bids were and it appears that while $211,000 may seem to be an exorbitant price it is not out of line with what the market price is for lifeguard stands.
As former Mayor Glickstein is quoted in The Palm Beach Post.
“As a taxpayer here, forgetting this position,” said Mayor Cary Glickstein, “I would like to know that we’ve provided all of our public safety officers with the best possible equipment out there.”
We agree as a resident the lifeguards of Deerfield Beach deserve the most up-to-date facilities and equipment.
The Pompano Beach documents list costs of the lifeguard stands paid by other South Florida cities as part of their bidding and procurement procedures. The costs seem to be in line with what Deerfield Beach has contracted for. Other cities also appear to have had issues with residents questioning the prices even comparing them to the price of small condos.
Again the Office of Inspector General found no issues with Delray Beach’s purchase and said they were feasible.
Deerfield Beach Lifeguard stand option 1
https://www.pbcgov.org/oig/docs/reports/03-19-18-Delray_Beach-Lifeguard_Towers-CA-2018-0034.pdf
Investigation finds no wrongdoing in Delray $1.1M lifeguard tower deal
Delray Beach fell on the radar of the Palm Beach County Inspector General after itspent $1.1 million on enhanced lifeguard towers, prompting a complaint that alleged the purchase was inappropriate and excessive.
But the inspector general found that there was no wrongdoing in the deal, according to a report released by the inspector’s office Monday.
The complaint filed in early January — about a month after the Delray Beach City Commission voted 4-1 to buy the eight lifeguard towers for a total of $1.1 million — claims Delray Beach didn’t allow competitive bidding on the lifeguard towers, and as a result drew only one bidder with an “excessive” price quote.
In December, city staff said the specs of the lifeguard towers — enhanced with solar panels to power radios and fans, stainless steel bolts that won’t rust, and shutters to protect the glare-free, impact glass windows during storms — were so specific that only one company was qualified to build them.
“During our review, we found the City complied with its procurement policies and procedures for the award of the lifeguard tower construction project,” the inspector general’s report reads. Investigators spoke with Delray Beach employees, staff of other municipalities, and an outside engineering firm before crafting the 14-page report.
Delray officials sought bidders on the project, but only one firm, Hartzell Construction, had the experience that the city required, the report says.
Hartzell Construction built similar lifeguard towers in Miami Beach for about $97,000 per tower. But Delray Beach requested additional “high-end design elements” that hiked the price, the report says.
The eight lifeguard towers come out to about $126,000 apiece, with additional costs for construction.
Other municipalities, according to the report, bought less-elaborate, less-expensive towers:
- Palm Beach Shores built aluminum towers in 2016 for about $39,000 a tower.
- Hollywood built 20 in 2017 for about $75,000 a tower.
- Jupiter built “fiberglass” towers in 2013 for between $60,000-$70,000 each.
- And Martin County built aluminum towers in 2014 for $35,000 each.
Only one Delray Beach commissioner took issue with the deal, and voted against the $1.1 million lifeguard tower purchase in December.
“This is a condominium price that we’re paying for a small structure on the beach,” then-Commissioner Shelly Petrolia said at the time. Petrolia was elected mayor last week.
Delray Beach decided about a year-and-a-half ago to replace the aging towers, which will be demolished. City leaders asked that the new towers have upgrades to make them more comfortable for Ocean Rescue lifeguards and better equipped to withstand extreme weather.
“As a taxpayer here, forgetting this position,” said Mayor Cary Glickstein, “I would like to know that we’ve provided all of our public safety officers with the best possible equipment out there.”
