Per WOKV:
After a year of work, the city rejected the 2 bids for firms to complete a full inventory of city owned property.
http://www.wokv.com/news/news/local/wokv-investigates-over-budget-means-starting-over/nYZjd/ (http://www.wokv.com/news/news/local/wokv-investigates-over-budget-means-starting-over/nYZjd/)
By Stephanie Brown;
A year later, and little to show.
We’ve learned the City of Jacksonville has rejected both bids that were submitted for a plan to inventory and assess all city-owned real estate, which means the project guidelines have now been withdrawn and are being reworked.
The Request for Proposal (RFP), or outline of the project at hand, was put out on the street on April 25th, after months of debate and back-and-forth on the exact guidelines of the project. While there were more than 40 tasks listed, essentially the goal was to create one uniform inventory of all city-owned real estate and determine the value and state of all those parcels. From there, the company performing the inventory would submit recommendations about what to do with the real estate, while mentoring the city’s real estate division on the methods they use in order to let the city sustain the inventory in the future.
Jacksonville’s City Council allowed a $150,000 budget for the project, with councilmen on either side of whether that was an appropriate price tag.
When the bids were due May 29th, WOKV learned two companies had submitted proposals for the project: RS&H (Reynolds, Smith & Hill) and JLL (Jones, Lang, LaSalle). Because of Florida’s public records laws, the bids themselves were not subject to a records request until this past week. When WOKV submitted that request, however, we learned both bids had been rejected.
The rejection means the city has now terminated the RFP and it’s back in the hands of Public Works and Real Estate to take another shot. Because the RFP has been withdrawn, the bids submitted remain exempt from records requests, however WOKV did learn both proposals were over the budget allowed for the project.
I’ve reached out to both companies interested in the project to see if they will resubmit a bid under the new guidelines and have not yet heard back. I’ve additionally requested an interview with a number of city officials regarding the process moving forward, and have been given statements to this point regarding the next planned step.
Because the bids came in over budget, generally there are three possible options from here. The RFP can be sent back out as is, the budget could also be increased to adequately cover all services listed, or the scope can be reduced.
I’m told the scope of the project is what’s being refined. That means the current budget allocation will likely remain, but some of what the city hoped to accomplish will not be included. Therefore, it’s possible the process won’t yield an outcome exactly like what the city had hoped for.
It’s unclear right now if a change in scope would have to go back in front of city council, which would add another six weeks to the project, minimum. I continue to work for more information from the city on this issue. Even without that, there is still now an even longer road ahead for an answer.
This is a process that’s already months in the making. It was nearly a year ago that I first brought the city the question of how much money was tied in vacant real estate, only to learn they did not have that answer because they didn’t know. I was told at that time that a solution was underway, but it wasn’t until early this year that a proposal was put in front of city council. From there, the normal steps were taken until just a few weeks ago, with the rejection.
Reworking the proposal means another month of gathering bids, month or so of deciding on the bids, weeks of contract negotiations and then three to four months for the project itself.
This is a timeline that will ideally achieve the desired solution, but continues to stretch the amount of time that tens of millions of your tax dollars remain tied in the “vast†portfolio of vacant city-owned real estate.
Not good.
Get your dollar a year deal in now on any property during this period of created constant confusion.
My prediction will be the DIA zone will lead in $1 give aways.
Are the 20 new comfy chairs in yet for city council members. 2013-214
No RFP there!
In fact, No Bid, No Public Hearing and voted on as an emergency.
City of Jacksonville's surplus property being priced to move (Nov. 8, 2012) (http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=16630.0)
Renee Finley is the head of Public Private Partnerships for the mayor's office and says changes are in the pipeline.
"What are we doing to do with these properties? How do we get them to highest and best use?" Finley said. These are among the answers the city wants when marketing surplus property.
Finely said the goal is to have a company working on the project by mid 2013. She estimates it will take several months to inventory and price property.
Gretchen Dougherty is a taxpayer who says it is about time the city take steps to move public property and get in on the tax rolls.
"It is wasting our tax dollars because (property) just devalues every day, costing us more time and money," said Dougherty.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/topstories/article/281651/483/City-surplus-property-being-priced-to-move
The bids were probably so high because of the '40 tasks' involved, many of which were probably outside the norm. It seems to me the current city staff or a decent temp, ought to be able to do a basic semi-detailed inventory. Then bid out the appraisal aspect to get the value and best use part.
One other thing might be to divide the city up and just do one section at a time. They could start with the urban core/pre-consolidation city limits.
I think it would be wise to do the research ASAP, to identify some key economic development opportunities, but the majority of the properties shouldn't be sold until the R.E. market returns to normal. A few grand in property taxes for a year or two would not not likely exceed the loss in price between a buyer's market and an equilibrium market.
This is not a surprise to those involved.
thanks for this update. will be interesting to see how this develops.
does the city have a RE department right now? what do they do exactly?
Exactly why would bids received by the city in an open bidding process be exempt from public records disclosure simply because they were rejected?
Quote from: ChriswUfGator on July 05, 2013, 05:22:59 PM
Exactly why would bids received by the city in an open bidding process be exempt from public records disclosure simply because they were rejected?
If they plan to re-bid, that would be pretty proprietary info. I expect.
Quote from: vicupstate on July 06, 2013, 11:36:16 AM
Quote from: ChriswUfGator on July 05, 2013, 05:22:59 PM
Exactly why would bids received by the city in an open bidding process be exempt from public records disclosure simply because they were rejected?
If they plan to re-bid, that would be pretty proprietary info. I expect.
Quote from: vicupstate on July 06, 2013, 11:36:16 AM
Quote from: ChriswUfGator on July 05, 2013, 05:22:59 PM
Exactly why would bids received by the city in an open bidding process be exempt from public records disclosure simply because they were rejected?
If they plan to re-bid, that would be pretty proprietary info. I expect.
But they're not exempt under 119.071 unless the governmental entity provides a concurrent notice of reissuance of the RFP. Here they rejected all bids, and unless the article is wrong it doesn't appear that've reissued concurrently, so unless I'm missing something it looks like they've violated chapter 119 in denying WOKV access to the records.
My hunch is that in addition to not knowing what property resources are in city ownership, that the city does not have any idea, building by building, of the maintenance and repair needs of all the city owned buildings. Stop by the Singleton center one day, built in the late 70s, early 80s, note the damages and repairs needed in that building alone.
I dont know....wouldnt the property appraiser have this information?
It would be good to liquidate a lot of these parcels and put it n the general fund for operations
Quote from: Sunbeam on July 06, 2013, 10:15:26 PM
I dont know....wouldn't the property appraiser have this information?
Bingo!
And has anyone asked our Property Appraiser Jim Overton about such a list?
Mr. Overton has always been timely in responding to emails, phone calls, meetings over the years in regards to questions and a recent email confirms that such a city property list exists.
Has the administration or any city council member asked about the list?
Thank you Mr. Overton. The list is broken down in council districts, Authorities, JSO, School Board.
When was the last time their was a Town Hall meeting for District 4? Couldn't tell you. There should be with the massive FIND project looming in District 4. We are so LOST. I digress.
A positive action moving forward would be a town hall meeting for every district with a list of all the property that is in each District. Candidates don't wait for the elections to have a meeting that shows what's available before we start doing $1 deals and give all the good stuff away.
Palms Fish Camp- Got to love that one.
PS4 and a Foundation
The Jim Love, Kevin Kuzel, Berkman floating dock compromise misrepresented by OGC to Waterways during the 2013 FIND grant application process.
I think we have all given up asking you know who about you know what. SHIPYARDS III
Pick and choose the winners and losers. Add your own favorite.
According to Mr. Overton there are over 5000 pieces of city property.
Thank you Mr. Overton.
Quote from: Sunbeam on July 06, 2013, 10:15:26 PM
I dont know....wouldnt the property appraiser have this information?
It would be good to liquidate a lot of these parcels and put it n the general fund for operations
This isn't a simple inventory of what the city owns. Anyone with a computer can find that out in 30 seconds. It's a comprehensive study of the properties, their value, their condition, ongoing maintenance costs, economic development potential, potential uses, and countless other factors.
While a private firm can likely put together a better overall product, the city should be able to pool what talent it has left on staff to put this together.
^So the answer is this group will take this one for a buck. This group will take this one for a buck. HEY! Put me down for this waterfront Public Access street end for a buck. Sign me up. Stick your hand out. CityLife I'm in with you for the Duval County Courthouse for $7. That is a solid offer (LOL)
Sure there are other factors and Mr. Overton pointed that out.
So get the council districts to have a town hall meeting and now that we have new districts then have the city property for every council district listed. And include the Authorities, JSO, School Board and while we are at it you might as well throw in the land holdings of the PFPF and remember that through the legislature they now have the ability to increase their land holdings.
This should be a priority for each council district instead of securing their own free parking and now $20,000 for a no bid emergency on city council comfy chairs.
Quote from: CityLife on July 11, 2013, 09:09:46 AM
Quote from: Sunbeam on July 06, 2013, 10:15:26 PM
I dont know....wouldnt the property appraiser have this information?
It would be good to liquidate a lot of these parcels and put it n the general fund for operations
This isn't a simple inventory of what the city owns. Anyone with a computer can find that out in 30 seconds. It's a comprehensive study of the properties, their value, their condition, ongoing maintenance costs, economic development potential, potential uses, and countless other factors.
While a private firm can likely put together a better overall product, the city should be able to pool what talent it has left on staff to put this together.
Where are we with this inventory list?
Is this being incorporated right now with councilwoman Lee's Stand Up for your Neighborhoods Blight Committee? Just asking.
We were promised this info this fall.