News Digest News Digest (January 13, 2006)

Construction bids for Children's Library project over budget

The lowest bid from a construction company to revamp and expand the Palo Alto Children's Library was approximately $200,000 higher than the original construction estimate, city staff reported this week.

The city will now approach its partners on the project -- the Library Foundation and the Friends of the Palo Alto Library -- to see if they have or can raise additional dollars, according to Deputy Public Works Director Mike Sartor.

Four companies applied for the construction contract; proposals were opened this week. The lowest bid came from BRCO Constructors for $2.6 million, according to city Purchasing Manager Johnella Walker. The original estimate was $2.4 million.

The project will expand the 65-year-old library by 2,600 square feet, make the historic building handicap accessible and upgrade its electrical and mechanical systems.

The library closed last month for an estimated two years. Library services for children are now spread across the city's other four libraries.

The City Council is scheduled to award the construction contract at its Jan. 30 meeting.

--Bill D'Agostino
Hospital workers reject contract offer

Union workers at Stanford and Lucile Packard Children's hospitals voted overwhelmingly Monday to reject the hospitals' contract offer, according to the Web site for Service Employees International Union, Local 715.

John Vellardita, Local 715's chief spokesman, could not be reached for comment.

The SEIU Web site stated that workers "vote by 90 percent margin to reject latest contract offer."

Hospitals spokeswoman Sarah Staley expressed skepticism over the 90 percent figure. "We don't believe the numbers add up. They say that 90 percent rejected the contract but 54 percent of their workers showed up to work" on Dec. 12 during a one-day strike, she said.

Of 1,400 SEIU workers at the two hospitals, Staley said that 481 of 880 scheduled to work Dec. 12 did work that day.

The Local 715's Web site, however, claimed that 90 percent of its workers honored the strike.

The hospitals have offered 12 percent in pay raises over three years, while the union, as of November, was asking for 29 percent over three years.

The union Web site also stated that the workers would like a "third party facilitator" to enter the contract negotiations. The hospitals, meanwhile, would like a federal mediator to be involved, not a facilitator.

Staley said that no new talks are scheduled. A series of talks was held last Thursday and Friday. Local 715's contract with the hospitals expired last November. -- Don Kazak
Palo Alto's school staff receives raise

The Palo Alto school board ratified an agreement at Tuesday night's meeting with the district's classified employees' union that includes a 1-percent salary increase retroactive to July 1, 2005.

The three-year contract also includes a separate salary increase that is contingent upon this year's property taxes, the district's main source of revenue. If the taxes come in above 5.5 percent over last year's, the classified employees will also receive a percentage of those extra funds.

Scott Bowers, the district's assistant superintendent of human resources, said negotiations were conducted "in harmony and with laughter."

The classified employees' union represents 580 of the district's non-certificated staff, including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, teacher aides and janitors, among many other positions.

The ratified contract also includes a "me too" clause, which means the classified employees will receive a higher salary increase if the teachers' union negotiates one with the district. The district and the teachers' union are expected to reach an agreement next week. -- Alexandria Rocha
Gunn is officially a green business

Following in the City of Palo Alto's footsteps, Gunn High School has been certified as a Green Business by the Bay Area Green Business Program for its efforts to reduce waste and promote energy conservation.

The school's former activities director, Nik Kaestner, who left his post last school year, had been leading the charge on the project for a few years. It got off the ground, however, when the school district's new business manager, Jerry Matranga, made Gunn officials an offer they couldn't refuse -- cut the campus' energy use in half and the school can keep half of the savings.

"Everywhere you look, there are areas you can make infrastructural and behavioral changes," said Kaestner, who has moved to Boston, but was visiting Palo Alto this week.

This year, with Kaestner gone, Gunn senior Mabel Tsang is leading the Green Business Program.

So far, the project's most significant work has been in improving the school's recycling program and pollution prevention by reducing the amount of hazardous waste the janitors use. -- Alexandria Rocha

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