The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council has not terminated Underwood Management Services. Underwood’s already extended patchwork contract will expire on Sept. 30. Underwood could choose to respond to the request for proposals (RFP) with perhaps the best understanding of the actual work requirements, needs and expectations of our rural town. Boots-on-the-ground involvement with ongoing changes in the town and a clear understanding of the listed town management contract requirements and adopted town policies and procedures are required of all RFP responders.
Loxahatchee Groves needs an updated town management contract with the best evaluated entity that responds to the RFP process that is underway. The current extended contract with Underwood Management has become a patchwork of the original three-year contract signed Sept. 29, 2011, a June 8, 2012 amendment, subsequent separately priced work orders and sometimes conflicting contract interpretations that combine to increase the cost to the town. All of Underwood Management’s original personnel have changed, including the town manager, town clerk, planning coordinator and secretary. The basic town management contract cost is now $350,000 per year, not including any separately priced work orders or any directed and separately paid town management work load provided by other town service contractors, such as the attorney, land planner, engineer and code enforcement firm.
Town changes and growth have increased the town management work requirements, and Underwood Management has also made its own interpretations of contract terms and the actual work responsibilities it has for town financial management, contract administration, oversight and direction of town projects, coordinating planning and zoning requests, carrying out code and environmental policy enforcement, and investigating and resolving resident issues and complaints. Nothing is necessarily wrong with a town management learning curve and increased costs — it’s just time for updating the contract and having a better mutual understanding of what is expected from the town management company itself and what it will cost from the best-evaluated provider.
The town does not benefit from unproductive personal attacks on town council or town committee members, or emotional comments by some residents in meetings or in letters to the editor when they have simply chosen sides in our unfortunately divided town. The RFP process is underway. The council needs to choose the best-evaluated responder and go forward.
John Ryan, Loxahatchee Groves
Editor’s note: Mr. Ryan is a supervisor of the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District.
