Opinion Editorial Cartoons Op-Ed Editorials Letters to the Editor

City needs reasonable cost for Schneider Park restrooms

On Sept. 17, at the regular Durango City Council meeting, there was an item at the end of the Amendment to the City Budget (expense item 21-5204-31499 Project #0013) for the Schneider Park Restroom Replacement Design only of $400,000. One City Council person, Olivier Bosmans, questioned the amount for the design only of the restrooms. I am heartened that at least one of the five City Council members was fiscally responsible enough to question this ridiculous amount for designing a public restroom. I wonder why the other four council people did not question this outrageous amount. In my 55 years of building houses I have never had a design cost come anywhere near this amount for a house design. In fact, the most I ever spent was $25,000. I would be glad to offer my services gratis to help the planning department end up with a reasonable cost for designing the Schneider Park Restrooms.

Gerald Weis

Durango

Editor’s note: The cost was originally $400,000 and it was Bosmans’ question that revealed staff had reduced it to $100,000.