LongBeachReport.com | LBReport.com | Costs vs. Benefits: Council's Costlier-Than-Necessary Seawall Fix = Decaying Belmont Pier & Other Shoreline Assets

(July 26, 2010) -- I just read Joe Segura's story in the PT about the poor condition of Belmont Pier and it got me thinking about the debate over the repair of a portion of the Naples Island Seawalls.

It seems staff prepared a report that outlined the problem and proposed two repair alternatives. One would cost about $9 million and the other would cost about $2 million and it seems the city already had $1 million in Tidelands carryover funds.

So, the City Council could have voted for a repair that would last up to 15 years and would require only $1 million in additional funds or they could vote for a more permanent fix that would cost an additional $8 million. They could vote to spread the scarce resources around to repair more and wait a few years until the city finances improved to make a permanent repair to the seawall.

Guess what they picked? Yep, they went for the whole enchilada and voted for the $9 million repair.

Why, you ask, given the city is broke and cannot fix much of anything did they not take the $1 million 15 year fix option and use the $8 million in savings to fix some of the decaying and dangerous infrastructure along the shoreline? Good question.

Perhaps they could have fixed the deplorable conditions that Mr. Segura described in his article.

Could they not have considered fixing the holes in the railings that are currently plugged with trash cans or the deplorable bathrooms or the broken pier lights so we don’t get sued when someone trips and falls or drowns when they fall through the holes in the railings?

And I suppose they could have used the remaining money to fix a few more bathrooms on the beach or spruce up Belmont Plaza Pool or patch the beach parking lots or fix the drainage on Bay Shore Walk or...

Given that the City is broke and requires skillful fiscal management, do you think the Mayor and Council should take a class in Cost Benefit Analysis?

I think so

Previously on LBReport.com: Common Sense by Terry Jensen:

Santa, Call LB City Hall: Taxpayer Leased Vacant Bldg. (New Home To Daisy Lane Xmas Displays) Invites Annual Public Review of All City Owned/Leased Properties And Zero-Based Budget