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Report on fire station cost overrun 'received as information'

By: Bartley Kives

Posted: 10/29/2012 4:43 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 10/29/2012 6:09 PM | Updates

Fire-Paramedic Chief Reid Douglas (left) listens to Coun. Paula Havixbeck along with CAO Phil Sheegl (hidden) and COO Deepak Joshi at a meeting of the protection and community services committee Monday. (KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

A report about cost overruns at the fire-paramedic Station No. 11 on Portage Avenue is moving ahead to council’s city most powerful committee without any recommendation.

After grilling senior city officials for almost three hours, council’s protection and community services committee voted to "receive as information" a request for $2.5 million in extra funding for the new fire-paramedic station. Such a move amounts to placing the report on a shelf.

The vote comes after Couns. Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood-Tuxedo), Ross Eadie (Mynarski), Harvey Smith (Daniel McIntyre) and Thomas Steen (Elmwood-East Kildonan) spent almost three hours questioning fire-paramedic chief Reid Douglas, chief administrative officer Phil Sheegl and chief operations officer Deepak Joshi about the cost overruns at Station No. 11, the last and largest of four new fire-paramedic stations to be built under a beleaguered city program.

In a scene reminiscent of a commission of inquiry, the committee repeatedly questioned the officials – as well as property directoir Barry Thorgrimson and materials manager Barb D’Avignon about the reason for the additional money, the disclosure to council and the overall project oversight.

Havixbeck demanded more detail about what the additional $2.5 million is supposed to pay for. Eadie and Smith repeatedly asked Sheegl why he did not know about problems with the project.

Chief Douglas said the cost overruns came to light on Aug. 9 but were not reported to other officials for several weeks. On Aug. 31, Sheegl said there were clear timelines and budgets for all four stations.

Douglas also said there were no change major orders associated with the project and that design changes dated back to 2011, before construction commenced. This contradicts earlier assertions by other officials that design changes were made after the foundation was in the ground.

Sheegl said any work above the foundation is entirely the responsibility of developer Shindico and construction company Precon, as they have gotten ahead on the work in anticipation of council approval.

Havixbeck tried to get her committee to make Sheegl find the money to pay for the overrun without drawing funds from future fire-paramedic upgrades, but her motion failed.

Executive policy committee will now consider the plan on Nov. 7.

History

Updated on Monday, October 29, 2012 at 4:53 PM CDT: photo added

6:09 PM: changed sentence - reporter's request

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