News

By Jane Smith

    The much-anticipated property value analysis of downtown Delray Beach and its beach side will be presented Feb. 28 at the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency meeting.
    Munilytics, the Davie company analyzing the records, received a second extension at the Jan. 14 CRA meeting. The company had received an automatic 30-day extension in December with a revised deadline of Jan. 4. The new date of Feb. 19 gave the company 45 more days to complete the work. The company was selected because of its low bid of $59,000 and quick two-month turnaround time.
    The firm was hired last fall to analyze property values in each of the agency’s eight subareas that represent about 20 percent of Delray Beach. The subareas lie mostly along Atlantic Avenue, east of Interstate 95 to the ocean.
    At the Jan. 14 meeting, CRA Chairman Reggie Cox pulled the contract extension off the consent agenda and made it a regular agenda item so the board members could discuss it. “There are budget issues attached to this,” he said.
    Board member Paul Zacks agreed. “The company was picked based on its low price.”
    CRA Executive Director Jeff Costello explained that the company asked for more time to reach all the parties required in its contract.
    Board members said they’d like future contracts to reflect that if a company didn’t meet a deadline, it would face consequences.
    In other action, board members suspended the contract with Currie Sowards and Aguila Architects for 90 days for the makeover of the Old School Square grounds, at the request of the City Commission. The vote was 5-1, with CRA board member Bill Branning abstaining because he chairs the Old School Square board.
    Zacks voted for the suspension reluctantly because he is trying to be a good partner with the city, even though the CRA held various community meetings to get public input before awarding the $200,000 design contract to the Currie firm.
    Board member Herman Stevens voted no. He explained that he thinks it’s important for the city and the CRA to work together, but he thinks the CRA board is independent from the City Commission.
    As the owner of Old School Square and its grounds, the City Commission would have final say over changes. It prefers to concentrate on maintaining the property and wants the CRA to spend its money elsewhere.
    Old School Square Executive Director Rob Steele and noted urban planner Fred Kent will lead community sessions to find out what residents want to see there.