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Advocate says Dothan skatepark RFP stalled, alleges consultant withheld USA BMX participation
Summary
Skatepark advocate Justin April told the commission the project's RFP (announced Oct. 21, 2024) has seen no movement and alleged a consultant is conditioning USA BMX participation on certifications, which he called 'extortion.' He urged the city to move the project forward and said prospective vendors had been treated poorly.
At the commission's privilege of the floor, Justin April (Speaker 13), a local skatepark advocate and owner of the Wiregrass local newspaper, told the commission the skatepark project announced in February has not advanced despite an RFP issued Oct. 21, 2024. He said he has repeatedly sought updates but was told the project remains in design meetings; April said architects and vendors report no active design meetings.
April also raised a complaint about BMX involvement. He said a $24,000 line item in the contract for BMX consultation had resulted not in collaborative input but in what he described as extortion — specifically alleging that Mike McIntyre and USA BMX were refusing to consider participation for the project unless the city obtained certifications that do not exist for the proposed pump track or follow-up obstacles. April asked whether the city's process for vendor interactions could be improved and criticized the conduct of some city staff toward prospective vendors.
City staff acknowledged the comment and directed that further action or follow-up could be addressed outside the meeting; no formal motion or commission action was recorded on the skatepark project during this meeting.
