Citing a failure of city agencies to properly consult with the D.C. Council, a D.C. auditor released a report last week attempting to explain why the Duke Ellington School of the Arts renovation project was more than $100 million over its $78 million budget.
One of the failures of communication was in the decision to modernize the existing Duke Ellington School site, instead of building at one of the proposed alternatives, such as Ellington Field or the Logan School. According to auditor Kathy Patterson, community opposition killed the Ellington Field site, while building at the Logan School was rejected by former Mayor Vincent Gray and D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson without any input from the public or the D.C. Council.
“We weren’t able to track down any discussion or minutes or emails or reports that said, ‘Here’s why,’” said Patterson in an interview with the Current Newspapers. “Our point is that it’s not part of the public record.”
Once the project is finished this summer, the average number of square feet per anticipated student will be approximately 466, while the average for urban districts around the county is between 136 and 240 square feet. The report suggests that the Council might have pushed for another site had that been public knowledge.
Another criticism in Patterson’s audit was the lack of project-cost transparency on the part of the agencies involved. Citing a “piecemeal approach” rather than a comprehensive system for getting work done, the report suggests a number of changes to procedures for creating plans for future school renovations, including changes to the bidding process.
The Department of General Services will use the findings in the Duke Ellington School audit as a model for improving their processes, according to Patterson, who plans to keep tabs on how agencies respond to suggestions made in her report as she continues to audit other projects.
