MANAGEMENT CHANGE URGED AUDIT: SCHOOLS' HURRIED OPENINGS CAUSED PROBLEMS.Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer SAUGUS - Auditors reviewing $15 million worth of construction projects in the William S. Hart Union High School District gave the district passing marks but called for improvements in construction management. Conducted by the firm Moss-Adams LLP LLP - Lower Layer Protocol , the report presented to the district's governing board Noun 1. governing board - a board that manages the affairs of an institution board - a committee having supervisory powers; "the board has seven members" Wednesday recommended changes in planning, standardization, commonality com·mon·al·i·ty n. pl. com·mon·al·i·ties 1. a. The possession, along with another or others, of a certain attribute or set of attributes: a political movement's commonality of purpose. of reporting practices and terminology between new construction and the modernization/reconstruction programs. District officials said rushing to open schools last August created some problems, but also said changes had been made to improve communication. ``We know we have some issues with our construction managers,'' said Rory Livingston, assistant superintendent Assistant Superintendent, or Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was a rank used by police forces in the British Empire. It was usually the lowest rank that could be held by a European officer, most of whom joined the police at this rank. of business for the district. ``We had some very short, condensed con·dense v. con·densed, con·dens·ing, con·dens·es v.tr. 1. To reduce the volume or compass of. 2. To make more concise; abridge or shorten. 3. Physics a. timelines. We took normal two-year schedules and turned them into 16-month projects. Students came in, ready or not, and we had no time to check.' ``West Ranch is the first project done the way we want it,'' he added, noting that construction on the school scheduled to open in August is on schedule. Auditors presenting the report said the No. 1 issue was personnel competency in school construction. ``We noticed many of the problems associated with consultants were related to high turnover or inexperience of key personnel,'' the report said. It recommended that the district develop a comprehensive list of criteria for hiring consultants such as architects and construction managers. Problems blamed on architects and contractors included Golden Valley High School computer labs without data ports for computers and doors with windows at improper heights. One item consistently over budget was the cost of inspections; auditors cited budgets of $250,000 for Golden Valley and West Ranch, respectively, that are anticipated to more than triple by the time each project is completed. Livingston said software had been installed to help streamline construction figures and monitor change orders as projects near completion. Carol Rock, (661) 257-5252 carol.rock(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) A worker sprays stucco stucco (stŭk`ō), in architecture, a term loosely applied to various kinds of plasterwork, both exterior and interior. It now commonly refers to a plaster or cement used for the external coating of buildings, most frequently employed in onto a classroom building at the new West Ranch High School West Ranch High School is a public high school in the community of Stevenson Ranch, Los Angeles County, California. Mr. Bob Vincent has been the school's principal ever since it opened in 2004. construction site in Stevenson Ranch Stevenson Ranch, California (in the 91381 ZIP Code) is a Los Angeles County, USA, unincorporated community west of Santa Clarita a few miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. The Stevenson Ranch fountain was redone in 2007. . The school is set to open next year. (2) Several spectacular views are available at various locations at the new West Ranch High School under construction in Stevenson Ranch. An audit has suggested that management changes need to be made at sites in the Hart Union High School District. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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