SR-11-26-2013-8CCity Council Meeting: November 26, 2013
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Karen Ginsberg, Director of Community and Cultural Services
Subject: Commemoration of Santa Monica's War Dead at Woodlawn Cemetery,
Mortuary, and Mausoleum (Woodlawn)
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Review and comment on the proposed design for a commemorative wall at
Woodlawn honoring Santa Monica residents who have fought and died in war.
2. Approve the proposed design, cost and timeline.
Executive Summary
Santa Monica currently does not have a way of commemorating residents who have
died in war. In February, 2013, Council approved the concept of establishing such a
memorial at Woodlawn. Staff is proposing a design approach, cost and timeline for this
project that would enable the commemorative wall to be unveiled on Memorial Day
2014.
Background
At the Auciust 14,_2( 12 Council meeting, Council directed staff to consider design
options and the appropriate placement for a monument at Woodlawn that would
memorialize Santa Monica residents who died serving their country. On Feb; nary i
20,13, Council approved the development of a commemorative wall and its location
adjacent to the main entrance of the Mausoleum, and directed staff to conduct
community outreach and return to Council with design concepts and cost estimates.
On May 2, 2013, staff held a community workshop at the Civic Auditorium to begin to
build awareness of the project and solicit feedback on preliminary design concepts for
the wall. Staff contacted residents and local veterans groups to invite participation;
however, the meeting was sparsely attended. It did however result in some excellent
1
comments and the first contribution for the project in the amount of $500. The
community was also invited to provide feedback and names of people to be included via
the City's website.
Staff also presented criteria for inclusion on the wall, which reflect the desire to honor all
those from Santa Monica that died while serving in war, no matter what the
circumstance. The criteria were presented to Council in an information item on i`U ay. 23,
21,0 '1 `?, and have been well received by the community. They are:
Someone who was:
a. Born in Santa Monica and died while in service during a time of war,
in combat or otherwise, after Santa Monica was established as a City
(1875);
b. Had a Santa Monica address when they died while in service during
a time of war, in combat or otherwise;
c. Died while in service during war, in combat or otherwise, and chose
to be interred in Santa Monica.
Discussion
Project Schedule
The Memorial Day Remembrance at Woodlawn on May 27, 2013, marked the 75th
Anniversary of the event and provided the occasion for the City to publicly kick off
fundraising for the commemorative wall with a presentation of a preliminary design
concept and site plan. Staff is proposing a project schedule with the goal of unveiling
the commemorative wall at the next Memorial Day event, May 26, 2014.
Design
Architectural Services has developed an elegant, thoughtful and cost effective design
for the commemorative wall where the names will be etched directly into the concrete
(Attachment A). As proposed, the monument would be comprised of seven precast
concrete panels, one for each war. The location, at the end of the roadway into
Woodlawn and at the main entrance to the Mausoleum, offers high visibility and easy
access by the public, and is of manageable scale to accommodate a limited project
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budget. The concrete panels provide flexibility should additional names need to be
discovered and need to be added, or in the unfortunate circumstance of a new conflict.
Budget and Funding Sources
The cost estimate for the wall as designed is $16,358. These costs are exclusively for
construction of the monument wall and do not include indirect costs such as staff time
associated with the project management and architectural design of this project. The
cost estimate is as follows:
Woodlawn Commemorative Wall Cost Estimate
Direct Costs
Amount
Reimbursable Expenses (prints, mailing) $500
Hard Costs (precast walls, footings, pavers, sidewalk) $12,650
Contractors Overhead and Profit (12 %) $1,518
Bonds and Insurance (3 %)
$425
Construction Contingency (10 %) $1,265
Total $16,358
Due to the lack of available funding for the commemorative wall in the FY 2012 -13 and
FY 2013 -15 budgets, at its &- Uc st J 4, 2012 meeting Council proposed that this project
be supported through a community fundraising campaign. The City would provide the
land for the monument and would be responsible for maintenance and the community
would provide the initial funding.
Community Fundraising
The fundraising effort for the monument started last May at the Memorial Day
Remembrance. Staff developed a webpage for the commemorative wall to solicit
contributions
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and
has requested
support from veterans'
organizations
in the area,
as well as
from
individuals that
expressed interest in the
3
concept. To date, the City has received $3,501 in donations from four private donors,
which is approximately $13,000 less than the amount needed to fund the direct project
costs. Staff will continue to seek contributions for the monument; however, the entire
amount needs to be secured by February 2014 in order complete the work in time for
Memorial Day 2014.
Alternatives
Council could decide not to approve the proposed design, costs and timeline for the
commemorative wall and ask staff to return with an alternative concept or approach.
Alternatively Council could direct staff not to proceed further with the project until such
time as additional project funds are secured.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The direct costs associated with building the commemorative wall are estimated at
$16,358. Current private donations dedicated to this project total $3,501. In order to
enter into a construction contract, the City will need to secure approximately $13,000 in
additional contributions, or identify an alternate funding source for this project.
Prepared by: Jessica Cusick, Cultural Affairs Manager
Approved:
Karen Ginsb
Director of C
Services
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Attachment A— Design Concept
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Forwarded to Council::
Rod Gould
City Manager
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