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Politics & Government

Council OKs Final Phase of Civic Center

Council members also approve placement of Ronald Reagan statue at Castaways Park.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the final phase—expected to cost $85 million—of the .

The maximum projected cost of the entire Civic Center project is now about $133 million. In November, the city put the total cost at $123 million.

Stephen Badum, public works director, said he’s hopeful  the staff can get the number down to about $125 million.

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During the meeting, the City Council carved $2.75 million out of the costs by opting out of adding to the project a $2-million pedestrian walkway over San Miguel and spending $750,000 for solar panels on the roof of the new City Hall.

Calling the project the “most important civic project this city has ever undertaken,” Mayor Michael Henn said that he was proud of the work the city staff had put in but that he was disappointed that the projected costs were so high.

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“I was still secretly hoping and really sort of expecting lower numbers than this,” said he said.

The first phase of the project, land preparation, began in spring 2010. Phase two, construction of a 450-space parking garage, is scheduled to begin in March. The city staff expects the third and final phase of construction to be completed by December 2012.

Reagan Statue to Stand at Castaways

In a 7-2 vote, council members OKd the placement of a statue of former President Ronald Reagan at .

“This is an effort to tell our history to future generations,” said Councilman Keith Curry, who proposed the original motion to commemorate what would have been Reagan's 100th birthday.

A number of residents attended the meeting and spoke out on the issue.  

Kerry Reynolds, a member of the Newport Beach Reagan Memorial Fund, which provided the funds for the statue, said the memorial would be a fitting tribute to a popular political figure.

“Not only was he the governor of this great state, but he was also the president of the United States,” Reynolds said. ”He was beloved and admired by people around the globe.”

In contrast, Suzanne Savary, president of the Newport Beach Women’s Democratic Club, said erecting a monument to Reagan would be divisive.

“It is the wrong person at the wrong time,” Savary said.

Savary also read a list of 10 reasons she thinks Reagan was a bad president and asked if the council could instead consider supporting the creation of “a memorial to multiple presidents.”

Councilman Steven Rosansky, who voted against the motion, said he supported the statue but thought the art selection had not gone through the proper art selection process established by the council.

Last month, the council unanimously authorized the city staff to solicit and receive private funds to be used to erect a statue of Reagan.

Private donations have exceeded $50,000, according to Curry.

Police Seek New Helicopter Partner

Newport Beach Police Capt. Dale Johnson told council members that the city staff is looking for a new helicopter service program.

On Feb. 15, Costa Mesa voted to end a joint-powers service agreement with Newport Beach that would effectively end the city’s current helicopter service program.

In 1996, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach merged their helicopter programs into a single unit to save costs for both cities, according to a staff report. 

Johnson said Costa Mesa has yet to serve official notice of its decision, but when its does, it has 120 days to withdraw its services. 

No council action was taken following the report, and Johnson said that law enforcement employees are hurrying to find a replacement program.

Johnson said that some possible future service partners include Huntington Beach, Anaheim and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

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