Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

A. MOTION TO APPROVE termination for convenience of the agreement, as amended, between Broward County and The Weitz Company, LLC ("Weitz"), dated February 2, 2010 ("Agreement"); with the termination to be effective as soon as practicable after a replacement construction management firm can be retained; and directing the County Administrator to send notice of termination approved as to legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney.

ACTION:  (T-2:40 PM)  Following discussion, the Board deferred this item.  (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)   (See Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated October 9, 2018, submitted at the request of Public Works Construction Management Division.)

VOTE: 8-0.  Commissioner Rich was not present during the vote. 

B. MOTION TO DIRECT County staff to expeditiously identify and, as legally required, present for the Board’s consideration a replacement construction management firm to perform the services currently performed by Weitz in connection with the Agreement. (Vice-Mayor Bogen)

ACTION:  (T-2:40 PM)  Following discussion, the Board deferred this item.  (Refer to minutes for full discussion.)  See Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated October 9, 2018, submitted at the request of Public Works Construction Management Division.)

VOTE: 8-0.  Commissioner Rich was not present during the vote. 

Termination for convenience requires Board action.

The item, if approved, would terminate the Agreement and result in the retention of a new construction management firm in connection with the Courthouse Project.

On September 25, 2018, the Board of County Commissioners approved the Thirteenth Amendment to the Agreement, increasing the contract amount by $1,289,975 and increasing the contract time by 365 days. The following day, I attended a Courthouse Taskforce meeting and learned the full scope of the outstanding construction defects and other problems including defective installation of the curtainwall system allowing water intrusion, defective or damaged fire caulking installation, and several thousand remaining punchlist items. Weitz has been the County's on-site owner's representative overseeing the construction work since the beginning of the Courthouse Project. As a result of the information presented at the Courthouse Taskforce meeting, I have completely lost confidence in Weitz and believe the County would be far better served by substituting a different construction management firm to oversee the required curative work.