I write this commentary to provide context to the current courthouse debacle. In the November 2012 budget, the County Council approved a plan to sell bonds to finance a $75 million remodel and four-story expansion of the existing courthouse. The vote was 3-2 to include this proposal in the budget with Councilmember Dave Somers and Councilmember John Koster dissenting. This bond measure was financed by a 3 percent property tax increase. In February 2013, former Executive Aaron Reardon directed the facilities director to present the council with a plan that would build a new courthouse for $75 million. The building was to be 160,000 square feet with groundbreaking to begin in April 2014. When offered a plan for a new building on the existing county campus at the previously approved cost, council logically decided to move forward.
The next five months were full of drama and disarray as Reardon resigned and Executive John Lovick was appointed to the office. In June of 2013 the facilities director informed the council that the executive’s recommendation was to hire a courthouse management consultant. The cost was $1.6 million, and they were told it would “save money later.” The council expressed shock at this new information and asked the executive to conduct a full review of the project.
From June to October 2013 the price of the new courthouse jumped from $75 million, to $80 million, to $109 million, to $120 million to $130 million. Each time it was the deputy executive who came before council to explain the increase in costs and advocated for moving forward. The escalation in costs culminated when the deputy executive recommended that the county build the new courthouse across the street and utilize eminent domain to condemn surrounding properties. The cost of this proposal was originally estimated at $145 million to $155 million. In October 2013 the Council ruled out the location across the street because it was too expensive. In November the parking lot location proposal was put back on the table and subsequently the council voted to approve the current $162 million proposal (253,000 square feet representing a more than 50 percent increase in size). Sometime in 2014 the City of Everett became convinced by someone in the executive’s office that a 300-stall parking garage would be included as part of the courthouse project.
Prior to beginning my term as councilmember I was already very concerned about the project. I began to research the project and came to the conclusion that the remodel/expansion project that was initially proposed was never properly vetted. With information often lacking and not forthcoming, I worked for the next seven months to obtain a good faith analysis of the remodel/expansion concept. After the revelation that the Everett parking requirement had the potential to shut down the project, the facilities director finally provided me with an analysis. This analysis showed that the remodel/expansion plan from November 2012 would cost $146 million to $156 million.
Was the facilities director wrong in his analysis of the remodel/expansion concept in late 2012? Or is his analysis wrong now? I continue to be opposed to the current proposal and urge the council to obtain the services of an independent third party to provide a true estimate of what the cost to remodel/expand the current building would be so that council can make an informed decision in the best interests of Snohomish County.
Ken Klein, a Republican, is the Snohomish County Councilmember for the 1st District.
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