Members of the Wellington Village Council evaluated bidders for the K-Park property Tuesday afternoon, with the Bainbridge-Brefrank proposal coming up the high scorer.
Only three council members — Mayor Bob Margolis, Vice Mayor John Greene and Councilman Matt Willhite — took part in the proceedings. Councilwoman Anne Gerwig had recused herself because of a possible conflict of interest, and Councilman Howard Coates had resigned earlier that day in anticipation of beginning his judgeship next month. Public input was not taken at the meeting.
Sitting as the selection committee, council members assigned a maximum of 25 points to the bidders’ background and qualifications, a maximum of 20 points to their ability to manage and execute the project, 30 points to a preliminary site plan illustrating use and aesthetics, and 25 points to the price offered for the land, for a total 100 possible points.
Council members used only the score sheets to arrive at their evaluations and did not offer comment as to how they arrived at their scores, stating that they would save their comments for a public meeting set for Tuesday, Jan. 27.
The 66-acre site at the southwest corner of State Road 7 and Stribling Way has long been a point of contention, with past councils arguing about what, if anything, ultimately should be built on the site. It was originally purchased as future park land.
Last year, the council called for bid proposals, and the respondents were the Bainbridge-Brefrank K-Park Joint Venture, Divosta/JKM Developers, Lennar, Reinvent America, Stiles and Wellington Gardens Partners.
The council heard proposals from the bidders and a staff evaluation at a closed-door meeting Dec. 17.
At Tuesday’s bid evaluation, Margolis gave Wellington Gardens 22 for background and qualifications, 15 for ability to execute, 30 for the preliminary site plan and 18 for the price offered, for a total of 85 points.
He gave Stiles 25 for background and qualifications, 20 for ability to execute, 25 for the preliminary site plan and 20 for the price offered, for a total of 90 points.
For Divosta, he gave 25 for background and qualifications, 18 for ability to execute, 25 for the preliminary site plan and 18 for the price offered, for a total of 86 points.
For Bainbridge-Brefrank, he gave 25 for background and qualifications, 20 for ability to execute, 28 for the preliminary site plan and 25 for the price offered, for a total of 98 points.
He gave Reinvent America 20 for background and qualifications, 15 for ability to execute, 20 for the preliminary site plan and 20 for the price offered, for a total of 75 points.
For Lennar, he gave 25 for background and qualifications, 20 for ability to execute, 15 for the preliminary site plan and 10 for the price offered, for a total of 70 points.
In order of rank, Margolis’ evaluation was Bainbridge-Brefrank, Stiles, Divosta, Wellington Gardens, Reinvent America and Lennar.
Greene gave Wellington Gardens 24 for background and qualifications, 20 for ability to execute, 29 for the preliminary site plan and 25 for the price offered, for a total of 98 points.
He gave Stiles 24 for background and qualifications, 20 for ability to execute, 20 for the preliminary site plan and 20 for the price offered, for a total of 84 points.
For Divosta, he gave 24 for background and qualifications, 19 for ability to execute, 20 for the preliminary site plan and 22 for the price offered, for a total of 85 points.
For Bainbridge-Brefrank, he gave 25 for background and qualifications, 20 for ability to execute, 25 for the preliminary site plan and 25 for the price offered, for a total of 95 points.
For Reinvent America, he gave 22 for background and qualifications, 18 for ability to execute, 23 for the preliminary site plan and 20 for the price offered, for a total of 83 points.
For Lennar, he gave 25 for background and qualifications, 20 for ability to execute, 20 for the preliminary site plan and 15 for the price offered, for a total of 80 points.
Greene’s ordinal ranking was Wellington Gardens, Bainbridge-Brefrank, Divosta, Stiles, Reinvent America and Lennar.
Willhite gave Wellington Gardens 17 for background and qualifications, 14 for ability to execute, 24 for the preliminary site plan and 19 for the price offered, for a total of 74 points.
For Stiles, he gave 19 for background and qualifications, 12 for ability to execute, 26 for the preliminary site plan and 21 for the price offered, for a total of 78 points.
For Divosta, he gave 23 for background and qualifications, 18 for the ability to execute, 30 for the preliminary site plan and 23 for the price offered, for a total of 94 points.
For Bainbridge-Brefrank, he gave 25 for background and qualifications, 20 for ability to execute, 28 for the preliminary site plan and 25 for the price offered, for a total of 98 points.
For Reinvent America, he gave 15 for background and qualifications, 10 for ability to execute, 20 for the preliminary site plan and 18 for the price offered, for a total of 63 points.
He gave Lennar 21 for background and qualifications, 16 for ability to execute, 22 for the preliminary site plan and 16 for the price offered, for a total of 75 points.
Willhite’s ordinal ranking was Bainbridge-Brefrank, Divosta, Stiles, Lennar, Wellington Gardens and Reinvent America.
When all three score sheets were taken into account, the overall ordinal scores were Bainbridge-Brefrank, Divosta, Stiles and Wellington Gardens, with Reinvent America and Lennar tied for fifth.
Village officials said that the complete results would be posted on the village’s web site, along with past meetings and documentation.
The council members also discussed whether to make a short list of bidders to carry forward, but decided to keep all of them under consideration for now.
Greene said that people should not think that based on the scoring, coupled with the uncertainty of Coates’ replacement, the process is over.
“This is a recommendation, and we are sitting as a selection committee recommending back to the council the results of this process,” he said. “I think it is important that the public has an opportunity to hear all six proposals. I want public input, and that’s up to each proposer. If they feel that if based on where they came out today, they don’t want to stay moving forward, that’s their choice, but my position is that the public deserves to hear all six.”
Village Manager Paul Schofield said he planned to put the item on the Jan. 27 public meeting agenda unless the council directed him otherwise.
Council members decided tentatively to give each bidder 15 minutes to make presentations at that meeting.
Village Attorney Laurie Cohen said that if a new council member is appointed by that time, he or she would be entitled and obligated to vote on the decision.
Videos and information about the bidding can be found on the village’s web site at www.wellington fl.gov/departments/purchasing/solicitations.
After viewing all the taped presentations on the Village website, the Bainbridge Group seemed the best selection. They offered $25 million for the Kpark land, above all other bidders, plus they were sensitive to nearby neighbors; have had previous experience building in Wellington, had the financial chops to finance the project and their ideas for the land were quite thoughtful.
Whatever entity eventually gets the land, please make sure that landscaping in this area is massive. When one views the landscaping along fast-food row (the entire Village Green Shopping Center-fromTrader Joe’s to McDonald’s) there are no tall trees to anchor the area. It looks ‘leveled’ like a disaster had just taken place. The whole area looks naked, newly built and the same will occur with Kpark, if massive trees are not put in place to deflect from the hardscape of the buildings and parking lots. The Village Green shopping Center just doesn’t fit with the plantings at the adjoining Mall.
Saying all that, it still is a sad day in Wellington, when Open Land continues to be taken away from the residents. That is all These Particular Council Members wants to do…… Take away Open Areas, while trying to tell us that the Section 24 on Flying Cow Ranch Rd, the Margory Stoneman WATER DISTRIBUTION area, is ‘parkland’ (and Peaceful Waters Drainage Area is a park, open land) and we, therefore, should NOT be worried about giving up any other land for development. That is a ploy by the Village masters to say Wellington has adequate Open Space! NO it is being eaten up by development.
Just watch…. the 10 acre Open Area Park near the Hampton Inn, goes bye-bye for MORE DEVELOPMENT.
The 10 acres on Lyons Road is now gone for Tennis Courts (already had land by Municipal Center utilized for tennis). It’s just development, development, development, by the same members of this current council.
Make a difference in 2016. Elect people who want to Keep Open Areas and give us MORE PARKS and will keep all sections of our aging Village in good shape.
Four Council seats will be up for election in 2016 (Margolis, Greene, Coates’ vacated seat, and Willhite’s Term limited seat). MAKE SURE TO ELECT NEW Council members who want to KEEP Open Areas in Wellington and not seed them to developers or to political pressure from groups in Wellington with their own self-serving agenda.
Once land is given up, that land is gone forever. We should be buying open areas, not selling them off to developers as these current Council members are going to do.
This Council is in the process of Giving up the Open Areas in Wellington for D-e-v-e-l-o-p-m-e-n-t. (let’s recall that the only way this particular Council was interested in buying property is only when an equestrian element is being pressed-ie, Wanderer’s Executive Course. Otherwise, it’s sell, sell, build, build by this Council. Eat up that Open Space for Development! Thanks for NOTHING!
DON’T vote for candidates who give up our open space for development. That is surely what these Council members have done. Be done with them! Just review what land is GONE due to this current composition of Council members.