Oakley hires contractor to oversee shopping center construction

Oakley city officials have hired a contractor who will be building a restaurant in the downtown shopping center to oversee the entire revitalization of that site, but not without disagreeing over whether the decision is the best use of public funds.

The City Council agreed in a 4-1 vote Tuesday to pay the Sacramento company Ascent Builders Inc. up to $114,916 to coordinate the large-scale construction that's planned for the commercial center at Main Street and Vintage Parkway.

The topic appeared on the consent calendar, that part of a meeting's agenda where the council places routine items it plans to approve with a single vote unless a member wants to discuss one of them first.

The contractor previously had signed a deal with the owner of Carpaccio's Restaurant to build an eatery there, and City Manager Bryan Montgomery recommended enlisting it for this second job to ease the burden on a city staff that he said is already stretched thin.

Although various employees from the city's engineering, public works and finance departments among others will help coordinate the shopping center's overhaul, Montgomery reasoned in his staff report that Ascent Builders already would be on site and has someone with the experience to manage the multifaceted project.

The upgrade includes providing new quarters for La Costa, a Mexican restaurant on the site, as well as building a two-story structure on the westernmost corner of the shopping center

In addition, the city will create a public plaza, renovate Centro-Mart's facade, reconstruct the portion of Main Street adjoining the shopping center to make it more pedestrian-friendly, and create more space for parking.

But Councilman Jim Frazier objected to bringing the builder onboard without going through a competitive bid process, saying he would prefer the city first issue a request for a proposal to give local contractors a chance at the job.

"We owe them the opportunity to do a project in their own city," he said, adding that he at least wants to make the effort to protect taxpayers' interests. "We're being stewards of their money."

Because construction management is considered a "professional service," however, the city isn't legally bound to solicit estimates from multiple contenders or accept the lowest bid, city counsel Bill Galstan explained.

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Oakley hires contractor to oversee shopping center construction