FOBC received an email chain today between Geosyntec and GA Safe Dams regarding the LLO Test (excerpts below). “Engineer Scott Auer”, also sometimes known as Big Canoe’s General Manager, was copied and aware of the new test dates, and missed test dates, but did not find it important enough to update property owners. Although, for the 3rd time in as many weeks they found time to eblast “Scary Weather” alerts.
On April 8 2025 and employee of Geosyntec wrote to GSD Director David Griffin:
- LLO Gate Test (with the plug in place) on 4/14.
- Final LLO Gate Test (with the plug removed) on 4/22.
The Contractor is still getting the frame and stem installed/aligned and they are awaiting delivery of a couple of pieces of hardware from the manufacturer.
Then just this morning that inital Test was updated in a similar email as follows:
Full Email Chain received from Open Records – Click Here to View
The LLO gate test (with the plug-in place) is planned for Saturday, 12 April.
So as of now the 1st test is scheduled for sometime Saturday. Maybe if the schedule changes, and FOBC is unable to put in another timely Open Records Request, “Engineer Scott” will pick up our slack in regards to updating the community – and in full transparency give property owners an update in advance.
In a second piece of interest… FOBC has been shown documents indicating that originally the 1st Test was scheduled for April 4th, which included a 5 day contingency already built in. If they do finally do the 1st Test on April 12th, then that puts the entire project about 8 days behind – and that is after using up the already built in 5 day contingency.
Let’s be clear that this has not been 8 normal days… it has been intensive deepwater construction, as they rebuild the huge stem frame after it has been sunk underwater. That isn’t cheap, and it wasn’t budgeted into any plans.
Now, “Engineer Scott” says that our contract for this ($1.76 Million) has a guaranteed cap… but one has to wonder if there is wiggle room for contingencies. For example… while Brennan Construction might have a Cap, it was Geosyntec that did the Engineering design, and it was a 3rd party that did the machining. I bet Brennan isn’t thrilled at delays that may not have been their fault – and I have rarely seen an ironclad contract that doesn’t involve some kind of contingency (Again… their plans had a 5 day contingency, so maybe that was a contracted contingency max?). Additional “hidden” costs (above the $1.76 Mil) have already been discovered, and given the POA’s propensity for hiding additional costs of a “Master Project” inside of supposedly unconnected line items one wonders how far over budget this one is going to be. Remember… that giant “French Drain”… $450K Budget, ballooned to $700K, and now we find we’ve still got additional work still to do?
Anyway, Engineer Scott” probably knows all of the answers to these questions, since he probably signed the contracts… but just like he knows about the schedule changes… it doesn’t translate into property owners being important enough to know. Hell, it’s only OUR money.
On another point… those “wet spots” where the old gravel patch was… I’ve physically inspected that area several times now, and reviewed some documents. I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that this aspect isn’t over. I have actually seen some minor flow coming through. It seems that $700,000 French Drain hasn’t changed a thing. Wet spots that are seeping water is NOT what you look for in a rehabilitated Dam. But by golly we are going to keep spending money to keep this old gal from dying.
And speaking of line item costs, hidden outside master-project costs… I am hearing that the final Clubhouse costs might be a hell of a lot more than the already ballooned $7.6 Million. Of course, they will tell us that these line items don’t count. Funny isn’t it… how certain expenditures of property owner money doesn’t count.
PS… on this LLO Project that is “fixed” at $1.76 Million… can anyone remember what the REAL ORIGINAL cost was? You know… 2 years ago, with the hyped up, and ultimately failed test, and the Plug put in? Yeah… add that to the $1.76 Mil also. And still we do not have a succesful test of opening or closing a little underwater gate. It is amazing.
Engineer Scott. LOL
Peace,
– david / publisher / property owner
Focus on Big Canoe, GA
* publications of The Mountains Voice
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