Public input on sports complex

For many residents of Huntington Beach, and especially those who watch City Hall closely, the debacle involving the city’s Sports Complex neatly summed up problems with city government.

A seemingly routine check of Joe O’Connor, the contractor hired to build the second part of the complex -- including batting cages, roller hockey arenas and concession areas -- would have revealed that he’d abandoned several similar projects and that he faced a felony arrest warrant in Michigan.

Without such background investigation, the city hired O’Connor, who abandoned the project and kept about $950,000 of city -- more precisely taxpayer -- money.

The miscues and misfires were unfortunately not a huge surprise, coming after one former mayor pleaded guilty to 15 misdemeanors and one felony count, and before another would plead guilty to eight counts of fraud and public corruption. The city itself pleaded guilty to violating state water laws by failing to fix leaky sewer pipes in 2001.

Now, more than a year after the city’s dealings with O’Connor went south, the batting cages are finally completed. This time, they were done on time and within budget, city officials say.

The completion of the work is a fine step toward putting this embarrassing affair behind the city. But there’s still much more the city needs to do, starting with finishing the job right.

Members of the city staff plan to submit a proposal to the council by the end of the year. But they shouldn’t make the decisions alone.

Staff members should actively and aggressively seek as much input from residents as possible, taking advantage of this opportunity to create as perfect a sports complex as possible.

And members of the City Council should do the same, setting up times when residents can come and present their ideas. They might just be surprised at the ideas they haven’t come up with themselves.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What else should the city build at the Sports Complex? Call our Readers Hotline at (714) 966-4691 or send e-mail to [email protected]. Please spell your name and include your hometown and phone number for verification purposes.