BOND PROJECT LACKS BUILDER.

Byline: Alexa Haussler Staff Writer

Days after persuading voters to pay for new fire stations and animal shelters, Los Angeles city officials admitted Tuesday that they can't find contractors to build libraries from a previous bond measure.

The city received no bids four weeks ago from construction companies to build an $8 million, three-library project - a problem they blamed on the booming economy but did not disclose until after voters approved the $532 million bond issue last week.

``This kills us, just devastates us with trying to maintain the schedule,'' said Sam Tanaka, the program manager in charge of the library bond program. ``Every time we bid, it's a three-to-five-month delay in the program. We've got plenty of work to do, but it seems like some of the contractors are not highly interested in building with the city.''

Three-fourths of Los Angeles voters on Nov. 7 approved Measure F to build and renovate fire stations and animal shelters across the city.

Proponents of the Fire and Animal Services measure held up the library bond package as an example of the city's ability to finish projects on time and within budget.

But building experts said contractors across the state have plenty of work because of a flourishing economy and a building boom for residential developers and private industries.

``Municipalities are scrambling around trying to get their jobs done. There is a lot of strain to get contractors that are available and that can actually perform,'' said Michael Justice, legislative services director for the Sacramento Builders Exchange, an association of general contractors and material suppliers.

Additionally, when the economy is good, contractors often opt for private projects rather than government projects that might have more restrictions and involve a complicated bidding process.

``There is a lot of opportunity in the public sector, but the red tape and the paperwork is just murderous,'' Justice said.

The Los Angeles project that got no bids included libraries in Lake View Terrace, Koreatown and Cypress Park. The city plans to add four more libraries to the package, for a combination of seven and a larger project, to try to attract bids. The bids for that project are due in early December.

``Unfortunately, if someone does bid, because of the economic situation, the bids are going to come in higher than we are estimating,'' Tanaka said.

Los Angeles City Librarian Susan Kent said at least six contractors have expressed interest in the new, seven-library package but those bids are not due until Dec. 6.

Plus, Kent said despite the latest difficulty, the library bond project is a full year ahead of schedule. Voters in November 1998 approved the $178.3 million measure, called Proposition DD, to build four new libraries and rebuild or renovate 28 more. Two - including one in Pacoima - are already under construction.

She said she still believes the projects will be complete by the deadline in December 2004.

``We are proceeding very effectively and efficiently on this,'' she said.

Proposition DD, voters were told, would cost $7 a year for the average homeowner.

On Measure F, city officials pledged that oversight committees and new internal safeguards will prevent a repeat of previous abuses such as the bungled 1989 police facilities bond measure, which promised improvements that were not built.

``The city will do everything possible to assure that the libraries are brought in on time and on budget,'' said City Councilman Mike Feuer, chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee. He offered the same assurances for the newest proposition, Measure F.

``Obviously we have a very hot market for construction of all kind of buildings throughout the city, but we'll get contractors to do the job.''

Bill Mercer, chief administrative analyst for the Office of Administrative Research, said officials plan to move quickly to buy land and get bids for the fire stations and animal services.

``We're optimistic that we'll be able to complete all of the projects,'' Mercer said.

Still, Tanaka said the same difficulties plaguing the library program will ``absolutely'' affect the fire and animal services effort.

``We like to see a minimum of three bids for all projects, that way it keeps the competitive edge. . . . But lately we're lucky to get one.''

Ernani Bernardi, a retired Los Angeles city councilman who represented the San Fernando Valley from 1961 to 1993, said he thinks voters last Tuesday didn't get the whole story from city officials.

``I think they were neglectful, in maybe they didn't bother finding out what the picture was with respect to contractors being available,'' said Bernardi, who signed a ballot booklet argument against the measure.

``'When you have more bonds than you can spend, you are playing right into the hands of the contractors. That always increases the cost of the project.''

The Fire and Animal Services measure includes $378 million to build 19 neighborhood fire and paramedic stations and a permanent emergency helicopter and air operations and maintenance facility at the Van Nuys Airport. It also includes $154 million to build, repair, expand, renovate or replace eight animal shelters.

City officials estimate the bonds issued under Measure F will cost the average homeowner $33.60 annually for 25 years.

The city has assembled an internal oversight committee with officials from the Fire and Animal Services departments and Department of Finance, Chief Legislative Analyst's Office and the Office of Administrative Research.

A second oversight panel will be composed of citizens appointed by the mayor and City Council.

Richard Close, a proponent of the Valley cityhood study and a critic of Measure F, said the library's struggle to find contractors ``could be a foreboding of what lies ahead.''

``A lot of people accuse the city of not living in a real world. This problem may be an indication that these figures that appear on the bond measure don't relate to reality,'' said Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association.