The Santa Ana City Council last week awarded a $150,000 contract for building plan reviews to a firm owned by Scott Fazekas, who once worked with Santa Ana’s building division head Gerald Caraig.
Fazekas, who is the contracted head of Anaheim’s building division, has drawn the attention of good-government experts regarding possible conflict of interest because his firm, Scott Fazekas & Associates, received thousands more for building plan reviews from Anaheim after he became the head of the division.
Caraig worked under Fazekas in Anaheim between October 2010 and July.
Anaheim city records show that during nearly two years when Fazekas was head of Anaheim’s building division, Fazekas’ firm went from receiving 8 percent of the city’s plan review business to more than 80 percent. All told, Scott Fazekas & Associates has billed the city for at least $18,954 since he took over the division.
Caraig said that while working in Anaheim, he sent the work to Fazekas’ firm only because it was the cheapest.
Santa Ana’s contract extension with Scott Fazekas & Associates was one of two approved by council members last week. It also gave a $150,000 extension for plan review to Century Structural Engineering Co.
The prices offered by both firms appear to be the same. Fees for both consultant firms are 35 percent of Santa Ana’s plan check fee, with some other plans to be checked at an hourly rate of $85, according to contract documents.
Caraig could not be reached immediately for comment.