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TO: James E. Chandler <br />Counn _administrator <br />DEPARqrNIENT HEAD CONCURRENCE: <br />Robert M. Keating, A1CP <br />Community Development Director <br />FROM: Roland M. DeBI , CP <br />Chief, Environmental Planning <br />DATE: July 18, 2001 <br />RE: Request for Board Approval of a One-year Contract Extension with <br />FloridAffinity, Inc., for Professional Services Relating to Environmental Land <br />Acquisition <br />It is requested that the data herein presented be given formal consideration by the Board of County <br />Commissioners at its regular meeting of July 24, 2001. <br />113610 ON I &a a UJOKU1 1XK1101 �♦ <br />The Board of County Commissioners, at its regular meeting on August 2, 1994, approved a 3 -veal" contract <br />with FlondAffinity. Inc., for environmental land acquisition and management planning services. Section 4.01 <br />of the contract provides that the County, if desired, may renew the contract for one year periods. The County <br />has since renewed the contract four times (on July 15, 1997, July 21, 1998, July 20, 1999 and September <br />19, 2000). The July 1999 and subsequent agreement extension modified the original contract to "as needed" <br />terms, by specifying no monthly base fee and maximum hours per month of 75 hours (monthly fee not to <br />exceed 75 hours x $85 = $6,375). <br />Staff is now requesting that the Board renew the contract with FloridAffinity, Inc., for an additional one year <br />penod, under the most current agreement terms, to allow for continuing professional services assistance for <br />the County Environmental Lands Program. <br />Since the County originally contracted with FloridAffinity in August 1994, the County has succeeded in <br />acquiring (or obtaining approved purchase contracts for) parcels in 17 environmental project sites (-6.500 <br />acres). Moreover, in each of those acquisitions, the County has secured cost -share funds from other agencies, <br />totaling more than $20 million in matching funds. <br />There are a number of sites under negotiation, including some with approved cost -share funding agreements <br />with state agencies (e.g., Oyster Bar Salt Marsh parcels), using funds still available under the first series bond <br />issuance (approximately $680,000, accounting for the recently approved $476,240 Fischer tract option <br />reimbursement) . <br />Staffs position is that renewal of the contract is important if the County is to complete pendm(T land <br />potential future) acquisitions and cost -share reimbursement "due diligence" tasks. FlondAft"niry has done <br />a competent job in its negotiations with property owners and in coordinating with cost -share a<_encies. <br />Moreover, FlondAffinity provides an important service by subcontracting and coordinatm2 due dilicence <br />tasks (appraisals, surveys, environmental audits) that would otherwise require the Countv to ,hire more stair <br />if that service was to be handled in-house. In addition, FlondAffiniry and its associates have substantiali_� <br />assisted the County in drafting conceptual management plans for acquired properties. <br />With reference to pending acquisitions, staff thinks there is a possibility that those projects will be completed <br />within one year. Therefore, any potential needs for further contract renewal (in 2001) will depend upon the <br />Board's decision on whether to extend the environmental land acquisition program beyond the first series <br />bond issuance and current pending acquisitions. <br />July 24, 2001 <br />