Council renews NAI Pensacola real estate contract for one year; members probe recent land-swap talks tied to wastewater project

The council voted unanimously to renew the city's contract with NAI Pensacola for one year, with a plan to issue a request for proposals (RFP) in July 2025 and invite NAI to participate.

Council members questioned broker fee structure and sought clarity about a recent attempted land swap connected to the wastewater treatment plant relocation. The city's real estate representative confirmed a 3.5% fee on unlisted purchases; if a property is listed by another broker the listing broker typically shares fees so the city has little or no direct payment obligation.

Councilman Matthew Cusack asked whether the real estate firm was involved in recent negotiations for a parcel referred to as the "H property" (an alternative site for spray fields in the wastewater project). Staff described two appraisals: the city's property appraised at $65,100 per acre and the other parcel at $55,100 per acre. Negotiations had included a seller request for an additional cash amount (discussed in the meeting as either $200,000 or $250,000); city staff said the parties did not accept that cash demand and no sale occurred. Council discussed the larger context of the wastewater project and the critical budget pressures associated with its overall multi-million-dollar cost.

The motion to renew NAI's contract for one year passed unanimously; councilmembers also asked staff to prepare an RFP for release in July and to maintain arms-length negotiation practices for future property discussions.