Unionville delays hiring N-Focus for comprehensive plan but renews backup planning contract

Unionville — The Town Council on May 18 directed staff to try to negotiate a lower price for N-Focus’s proposed $50,000 contract to prepare a Comprehensive Land Use Plan and voted unanimously to table the contract pending those negotiations. Separately, the Council approved renewal of N-Focus’s existing contract for back-up land use and code-enforcement services.

Clerk Braswell told the Council that the scope for a full comprehensive plan update had become apparent during the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) update and that N-Focus offered the town the same pricing provided to Fairview: $50,000 spread across the fiscal year, with an additional $2,000 billed for each required public engagement session attended by the consultant. Councilman Jeff Broadaway said the Council had previously declined the scope when the UDO work began and questioned what had changed; he also noted the extra $2,000 per session for consultant attendance. Councilman Gene Price moved to approve the contract but amended and then withdrew the motion after asking for a negotiated price; the Council voted to table RES-26-03 pending negotiation.

On a separate agenda item, Clerk Braswell presented renewal of the existing N-Focus contract for backup services, confirming hourly rates remain $135 for code enforcement and $145 for backup land use services and that a 30-day termination provision remains in place. The Council approved the renewal unanimously.

Staff were directed to return with any negotiated fee changes for the comprehensive plan contract before the Council takes final action.