Downtown plan is a go following vote
Nov. 9—The Odessa City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday night to award KDC Associates a $650,000 contract to design and oversee a downtown entertainment district that will likely be located on Jackson.
The council voted to issue $7 million in certificates of obligation for downtown improvements three years ago and an updated master plan for downtown was approved earlier this year.
KDC Associates partner Kelly Cook and Downtown Odessa Executive Director Casey Hallmark told the council the Jackson Avenue plan is the next step toward implementing the master plan, but Mayor Javier Joven expressed his displeasure at the amount of the contract, the fact the proposed plan encompasses just two blocks and he thinks construction should have started immediately after the master plan was approved.
The city will spend $3 million per block and end up not having enough money because of the high contract amount and exploding construction costs, Joven said. He agreed with council member Mark Matta, who suggested the council table the discussion and go out to bid again.
Matta said he spoke with two of the 30 contractors the city asked to bid on the project and one of them denied being contacted. The other complained they've repeatedly bid on city projects and been ignored.
Cook explained that while only two companies submitted bids to the council for consideration, those two companies were comprised of multiple partners — including civil engineers, marketing, surveyors and public relations experts.
KDC purposely brought on board local partners because, having worked with the city for 28 years, they thought that's what the council would prefer, Cook said. The other contender created a team of companies from Dallas.
Cook and Hallmark also noted KDC's contract amount of roughly 10% of the project is typical.
Matta's motion was rejected 4-3.
Council member Mari Willis, who said she was comfortable with KDC, made a motion to award the company the contract. It passed 4-3, with Joven, Matta and Council member Denise Swanner in opposition.
The project is expected to take six months to two years to finish.
In other matters, the council voted unanimously to table a vote on extending a contract with BRI Recycling Services.
Last week, the council had expressed interest in signing a new contract with BRI that called for BRI to pick up the bins at seven recycling collection sites and the Time Machine, hauling the materials to Midland and separating it there instead of at the city's facility on 42nd Street.
Under the terms of the new $354,000 contract, BRI would no longer be responsible for 326 recycling bins located at schools and commercial buildings. Utilities Director Thomas Kerr said the company was losing money dealing with the bins because the recyclables were 50% contaminated and China and India are no longer accepting highly contaminated materials.
Kerr told the council they had other options with BRI, but some would necessitate spending $1.85 million to replace a dilapidated building where the sorting takes place.
A representative from BRI, Lourdes Perez, said that while they've met with Kerr in the past, they were unaware of last week's discussion. They'd like to have another meeting with city officials to discuss some "fresh ideas."
BRI's contract ends Jan. 23.
The city council also voted unanimously to approve a Chapter 380 Agreement with WFDR Partnership, which will be developing 126 acres of land east of the intersection of Faudree Road and Highway 191.
Over the next six years, restaurants, retail shops, a veterinary clinic, surgery center, grocery store and apartments are expected to be built within "Shiloh Square," according to city documents.
The amount of the agreement is just over $7 million, the estimated cost of the public infrastructure that will be put into place by the developer. WFDR Partnership must invest at least $20 million and generate a minimum of 100 jobs, according to the city.
The incentive payments will be paid from property tax revenue generated by the development and the term is 15 years.
