Commission approves $219,000 design contract for Town Center Park playground after debate over master plan and public input

The City Commission approved a $219,000 project agreement with Keith & Associates to provide civil engineering and landscape services for the Town Center Park playground redevelopment. The vote was carried after a lengthy discussion that centered on whether the parks and recreation master plan supplied sufficient direction and whether the commission had enough detail (exhibits and scope) before authorizing the contract.

Several commissioners said they wanted schematic options or clearer scope documents attached to the project agreement before approval. One commissioner described the parks master plan as flawed and questioned paying a consultant to produce designs without clearer direction from the commission or residents; another commissioner said the master plan was the product of months of public workshops and surveys and was intended to guide this exact design step.

City management and the city attorney urged commissioners to rely on the adopted parks master plan and noted this is a continuing-services contract under which separate project agreements are executed as work arises. The city manager said the design development will return to the commission for approval and that public input had informed the master plan.

After debate, the resolution authorizing the project agreement passed on roll call (three yes, two no). Staff said the consultant will produce schematics and design development that will be presented to the commission for review.