San Clemente : Pier Repair Approved After Multiple Votes

The City Council has formally certified the latest repairs made to the San Clemente Pier, but only after three votes and some debate over the quality of the work done by the contractor.

After discussion and several motions on the matter, the council voted to certify the repairs as complete with the provision that the city manager present a report on the project to the council at its Sept. 18 meeting.

Councilwoman Karoline Koester said her “punch-list” of needed pier repairs includes such things as missing nails and splinters in the deck. Koester has been a vocal critic of the pier project, which has been the source of local controversy since last March when a surveying error by the Long Beach-based contractor left a hump in the structure.

Although repairs have been largely to the city’s satisfaction, City Manager Jim Hendrickson earlier this week said that San Clemente will seek to keep $19,000 as late penalties and reimbursement for city expenses when it makes its final payment to the Long Beach firm for the project, which was completed two months late.