Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Procurement Waiver topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Boynton Beach commission waives procurement rules to consider executive director pick after heated debate
Summary
The CRA board voted 4—to—1 to waive standard procurement procedures so it can consider a headhunter candidate alongside RFP responses for the CRA executive director post; members pressed for more review time and a follow-up presentation on Oct. 7.
The Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency board voted 4—to—1 on Sept. 18 to waive ordinary procurement procedures so the board can consider both an RFP response and an individual candidate for the CRA executive director position.
The action followed a presentation by Catherine Rosmail of the law firm Lewis, Longman & Walker and confirmation from Andrew Rosadowski, procurement division director, that the governing body may waive procurement rules if it makes factual findings that doing so is in its best interest. Rosmail told the board the agency has been without a permanent executive director since Oct. 10, 2023, and noted the RFP produced two responses — one company and one individual — while a recruitment firm had presented a separate candidate.
Why it matters: Waiving the rules lets the CRA discuss and compare different selection pathways — including a headhunter-sourced individual — without running the RFP evaluation and candidate negotiation processes separately. Supporters said the waiver will allow the board to move past a prolonged vacancy and evaluate options in a single discussion. Dissenters said the timing gave commissioners insufficient time to review lengthy RFP materials.
"We've been trying to find someone since October 2023," Mayor Rebecca Shelton said, arguing the board had been searching for two years and that the waiver could accelerate filling the role. Commissioner Kelly, who moved the waiver and amended the motion to incorporate staff facts, said the unusual procurement response pattern justified the step.
Board member concerns: Several members urged more time to review the RFP materials, which staff said were delivered to commissioners the day before the meeting and included hundreds of pages in combined documents. One commissioner said reviewing voluminous proposals on less than 24 hours' notice was unreasonable and asked that the board postpone any final decision until an October meeting.
Next steps: After the waiver passed, the board unanimously approved a separate motion to continue the RFP process, schedule presentations for Oct. 7, and keep negotiations with the candidate brought forward by Renee Narlock & Associates active. Legal counsel advised that, if the board later chooses to reject all RFP responses, it may nonetheless negotiate with any preferred candidate.
Quotes: "If you waive the policy tonight, you may consider any option," attorney Catherine Rosmail told the board. Procurement director Andrew Rosadowski confirmed the governing body's authority to waive procurement procedures when supported by factual findings.
Where it stands: The waiver creates procedural flexibility but does not by itself hire anyone. The board directed staff and legal to prepare materials for an Oct. 7 presentation; no employment contract or final appointment was approved on Sept. 18.
