Procurement brings Waypoint Marine management proposal for Lashley Marina to council; contract appears over budget

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — City procurement presented a recommendation to council to consider a short‑term management contract with Waypoint Marine for Lashley Marina, but staff warned the negotiated price exceeds the budgeted amount and offered several options including canceling the solicitation, extending the existing contract or rebidding as a request for proposals.

Anne Heinem, procurement, said the city received four responses to a short‑term invitation to bid; three were disqualified for not meeting mandatory bid requirements such as minimum years in business, required pricing forms or acknowledgement of addenda. That left Waypoint Marine as the only responsive bidder. "Waypoint Marine initially provided a monthly fee of about $30,000. Procurement negotiated with them for final pricing near $27,000 per month," Heinem said. The proposed contract includes a monthly management fee and a capped reimbursement mechanism for repairs, with a requirement to obtain competitive quotes for work over specified thresholds.

Heinem told council the pro forma estimates, including a management fee and projected repair allowances, produced a total contract projection of roughly $329,300 for the contract term, plus estimated repairs, which staff said resulted in a fiscal‑year 2026 allocation of about $233,001 — a shortfall against the proposed cost. The bid included a 2 percent discount if monthly payments are made within 10 days.

Several council members questioned contract provisions, including a 10 percent materials reimbursement fee and a proposed percentage share for new revenue ideas the vendor might introduce. A council member asked, "When someone's making $27,000 a month, why do they need 10% on what they spend?" Heinem said the 10 percent is reimbursement on materials when the vendor advances funds or subcontracts and that labor oversight is included in the monthly fee.

Public Works Director Ron Emmert described the marina's operational status: staff reported about 20 currently active slips and identified 7–10 additional slips that could be brought back online with minor repairs; some docks require electrical work to restore service. Emmert said lease terms and public‑access requirements also constrain which slips can be returned to service and that he had reached out to the leaseholder for clarification on certain items.

Staff emphasized the marina is not at full revenue capacity; current monthly revenue from available slips is roughly $9,000. Council was presented with options: award the contract despite being over budget, cancel the solicitation, extend the existing management contract or issue a request for proposal seeking longer‑term approaches and profit‑sharing ideas. No award decision was made at the pre‑agenda meeting; staff will bring the matter back at the regular meeting for council direction or formal action.