On Oct. 22, a Council majority (8-1, Schipske dissenting) authorized proceeding to issue an RFP for a Civic Center rebuild after only being told the costs to do so would "significant." LBREPORT.com was first (again) to report just how significant: $987,798, with a 10% "contingency," which could become $3.25 million if the first year extends into three years. (This is way beyond the approximate $500,000-$700,000 estimated by management when we asked for an approximate cost range a few hours before the Oct. 22 Council vote.)

And then there's $750,000 more, coming in a separate Council item, for outside legal counsel.

And then there's this in the Dec. 3 agendizing memo in management's own words: "Issues may arise in the development of the RFP or analysis of submittals that require additional financial or other consulting assistance. If so, staff will come back to City Council with an additional funding request."

The contract from which this is stemming is being hidden from Councilmembers and you and us because the Long Beach City Council continues to allow this. LBREPORT.com has repeatedly urged editorially that the City of Long Beach do what some other cities do: attach the texts of large proposed contracts to the agendized items.

Instead of providing the actual contract, Long Beach management provides a summary of salient contract terms in an accompanying agendizing memo, but esecially on major items, a Readers Digest version doesn't suffice...and that's clear the case with the Dec. 3 Council vote.

Long Beach taxpayers will see that Council vote on December 3. LBREPORT.com plans (as always) to carry it live.

Opinions expressed by LBREPORT.com, our contributors and/or our readers are not necessary those of our advertisers. We welcome our readers' comments/opinions 24/7 via Disqus, Facebook, plus moderate length letters and longer-form opinion pieces (op-eds) submitted to us at mail@LBReport.com.