Commentary: More trouble in Boomtown?

A design graphic shows the look of the proposed amphitheater in Menifee's Central Park.

Editor's note: The original publication of this article incorrectly stated the total cost of the project. The $3.9 million previously approved included an estimated total cost of the project. Of that amount, $500,000 was spent on design. The actual cost of construction is about $6.1 million, addition to the $500,000 for design. We apologize for the error.

Commentary by Doug Spoon, Editor

As if the City of Menifee didn’t have enough problems regarding a theater project, here comes a controversial proposal for an amphitheater project that could cost the city millions.

The agenda for Wednesday’s City Council meeting includes a request for approval of a $5.1 million expenditure for construction costs of the proposed amphitheater in Central Park (Menifee Town Center). Add to that the cost of construction management, design support services, and the previous $500,000 spent on design, and you have one of Menifee’s most expensive projects.

And lest we forget, this was a project that began with discussions of a simple shade structure that would cost somewhere between $100,000 and $500,000. How it got to this point is … well, an exercise in overspending, to say the least.

Forget for a moment the enormous price tag. Forget that the amphitheater will sit in the middle of a civic center that has virtually no parking. Forget that Mt. San Jacinto College’s new football stadium is a great alternative to host concerts and other community events. We have greater concerns than all that.

It is highly inappropriate to attempt to push through a multi-million dollar project at a time when the City Manager and Assistant City Manager – the one in charge of city finances – are both on administrative leave. Whether you approve of this project or not, it should be considered at a time when the leadership situation is settled. I mean, how do we know who’s really signing off on this?

Whether that team should still be led by City Manager Armando Villa remains to be seen, pending the results of a personnel investigation. Meanwhile, it is not responsible decision making to consider the project while with an inexperienced Acting City Manager and a Deputy City Manager whose name is on the project being proposed.

It is not Rebekah Kramer’s fault that she was named Acting City Manager during the investigation, but her selection by the City Council is hard to defend. She has less seniority than all the department heads. And Deputy City Manager Jonathan Nicks – who is also Director of Community Services – is the one pushing for the amphitheater project.

Would Nicks try to take advantage of a weakened high-level staff and perhaps an intimidated City Council to rush through a controversial, multi-million dollar project? If not, then why not hold off on this proposal until the City Hall leadership situation is settled?

There are a lot of other areas that require direction in the Community Services Department. Perhaps more attention should be given to the “little things”. How about coming up with a decent Christmas tree worth celebrating in a town of 110,000 – not the Mt. San Jacinto College parkway tree some are calling the “Charlie Brown Christmas tree.” A holiday Bazzar shouldn’t have a tree that’s bizarre.

Instead of pouring so many resources into the amphitheater project, why not re-commit to the city’s long-stated desire to wrestle control of parks and recreation venues east of the 215 Freeway from Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District? They could’ve had that for a million bucks a few years ago.

Part of the defense of this project is that much of the funding is earmarked for parks services and can’t be used to improve our roads, which need it much worse. But is that the best use of Community Service Department funds? If you want to spend money on a Community Services venue, build a municipal swimming pool so you don’t have to pay to rent the one at Paloma Valley High next summer.

On top of all this is a related project that is taking more than another $800,000 in city funds – a pedestrian bridge that will take residents across the Paloma Wash from a retail center parking lot to Central Park. That’s the solution for the parking woes. That item, also scheduled to be considered at Wednesday’s council meeting, is hidden in the consent calendar.

By the way, where’s the city study that will show how many and what kind of arts and entertainment events can reasonably be brought here to start paying for the amphitheater? That might be worth a look.

I’m not against an arts venue, but let’s put our house in order before signing off on a deal with such wide-ranging implications. Council members, vote to table this item for further discussion while you work to get the city’s engine running on all cylinders again. That’s the real issue before you.