Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission approves contract with TowerPinkster for five‑year parks and recreation master plan
Summary
After debate over scope and prior consultant choices, the commission awarded a $33,550 contract (including contingency) to TowerPinkster to develop the city’s five‑year parks and recreation master plan, with funding drawn from fund 9499.
The Traverse City Commission on May 5 approved a professional services agreement with TowerPinkster to prepare the city’s five‑year parks and recreation master plan, awarding $30,055 plus a 10% contingency for a total authorization of $33,550.
The project will update park priorities, identify projects eligible for Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) grants, and include an ADA site assessment. Staff said the scope was revised after commissioner comments and multiple interviews with firms to ensure the deliverable would meet DNR and local needs.
Parks and Recreation Superintendent Michelle Hunt, who led the procurement process, said the request for proposals was tailored to meet DNR requirements for grant eligibility and to include a robust ADA site assessment. She told the commission the Parks and Recreation Commission had initially recommended Beckett & Raeder—citing local knowledge and more extensive community engagement—but staff and the city reexamined bids and recommended TowerPinkster based on the final RFP scoring and budget alignment.
Commission debate reflected a split over scope and budget. Commissioner Mitchell Treadwell noted the Parks and Recreation Commission had supported Beckett & Raeder’s proposal, and urged the commission to consider the wider scope that commission had requested at an earlier meeting. Parks commissioners had argued that a local firm with deeper engagement experience might better address survey fatigue and community involvement.
Commissioner Jackie Stanley said the approved scope included a careful list of DNR‑eligible projects, representing $2.8 million in potential capital improvements over five years, and described the TowerPinkster price as proportionate to anticipated benefits. The motion to award the contract passed with a roll‑call vote: Commissioner Anderson, Commissioner Shaw and Mayor Shamro voted yes; Commissioners Stanley and Treadwell voted no.
Staff will proceed with the contract subject to the city manager’s approval of the final form and the city attorney’s concurrence on legal form. The consultant will be expected to coordinate with the Parks and Recreation Commission and city staff on community engagement, ADA assessments and a draft plan suitable for DNR review and subsequent grant applications.
Commissioners and public commenters urged the Parks and Recreation Commission and city staff to continue robust outreach during plan development and to prioritize projects that can leverage state grant funding.
