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Health & Fitness

Why is the renovation of Berlin High School already over budget?

Even though the renovation of Berlin High School is still in Phase I, it is already over budget by millions of dollars.  Why?

Didn't the Town of Berlin receive contractual bids?  Could not the Town of Berlin have required a fixed bid without contingencies?  Did not the voters authorize only $70 million for this project last year?  And already $15 million are expected in cost overruns while the project is still in Phase I.

Should not we, the taxpayers of Berlin, hold someone in our government accountable for this 20% increase in contractual costs?  Should not Mayor Salina accept responsibility for these cost overruns?  Should not our Town Manager, Denise McNair, accept responsibility for these cost overruns?  If not, why is she paid a salary of $113,000 plus to manage our Town?

And what about our Town Engineer, Arthur Simonian?  Why do the taxpayers pay him his salary?  Isn't he assuming any responsibility for these cost overruns?

The taxpayers only authorized $70 million to be spent on these renovations.  And already, while only in Phase I, the Berlin High School renovations are expected to exceed the authorized project's expenditure by $15 million!  If you and I were to exceed a project's budget in private industry by $15 million, would we still have our jobs?  Should Salina, McNair, Simonian, and others still retain their jobs?  Have they performed their jobs to the best of their abilities in the best interests of the taxpayers of Berlin?

Could you and I have done any worse if we were being compensated $113,000+ a year?

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