City Hires Brookhaven Firm to Repair City Hall

The City Council on Tuesday approved a $56,000 contract with L.K. McLean and Associates P.C., a Brookhaven-based architecture and engineering firm, to develop designs to rehabilitate the parapet wall at City Hall that is separating from the building.

The reconstruction work is part of a broader capital improvement plan that the council approved to bond $5.6 million bond on July 5 that will include resurfacing of roads, upgrades at the recreation center, and improvements to the sewere and water systems.   

Before voting 4-1 to approve the contract, council members Fran Adelson, Michael Fagen and John McLaughlin asked questions about the project's selection processing: How many bid came in? Were any local firms? Was L.K. McLean was the lowest “responsible” bidder?, according to the Long Beach Herald.

Jim LaCarrubba — the city’s commissioner of public works who formerly worked as the Town of Brookhaven’s deputy highway superintendent, parks commissioner and deputy supervisor — said the city’s received three bids for the project, and that the city would have met with a local company if they had submitted an request for proposal, and tht L.K. McLean was the lowest bidder. LaCarrubba added:

“This is a proposal — it’s not a bid process, it was a request for proposal. They were the lowest proposal and they have extensive experience in building rehabilitation. Based on their proposal and experience, that’s why I’m recommending them.”

LaCarrubba noted that during his time at Brookhaven he had worked with L.K. McLean, and that the City of Long Beach hired the firm in year’s past. In 2010, the prior council approved a $104, 925 contract with L.K. McLean to design the reconstruction plans for certain streets in the Canals, including Vinton and Kerrigan streets, north of East Pine Street between East Pine and the Bay, and Boyd Street, between Chester and Pine streets.