Zephyr Park CMAR Presentations (2025-11-10)

ZEPHYR PARK CMAR PRESENTATIONS City Council held a Zephyr Park CMAR Presentation on November 10, 2025 at 3:00 PM in the Council Chambers of City Hall and Via GoToMeeting (646) 749-3122 - Access Code: 855-960- 693. Council President Charles E. Proctor called the meeting to order at 3:00 PM Roll call was taken. Present were members Jodi Wilkeson, Steven Spina, Kenneth Burgess, Charles Proctor and Mayor Melonie Bahr Monson. City Manager William Poe was also present. Lance Smith arrived at 4:27 PM and City Attorney Matthew Maggard was absent. Staff present: Chief of Police Derek Brewer, Public Works Director Shane LeBlanc, CRA Director Gail Hamilton, Planning Director Todd Vande Berg, Principal Planner Rodney Corriveau, GIS/Community Planner Tommy-Lee Hunt, Historical Preservation Specialist/Community Planner Will McCaw, Finance Director Ted Beason, Assistant Finance Director Jessica Carter, Purchasing Agent Evan Markewich, Public Information Officer Kevin Weiss and City Clerk Ricardo Quifiones. 1. WORKSHOP ITEMS 1.1 Staff-Committee Review City Manager William Poe introduced the three CMAR proposers and summarized the process used by the Evaluation Committee, which included scoring, reference checks, and experience comparison. 1.2 JE Dunn Construction Presentation Mr. Jake Nellis, Tampa Office Leader and execute project leaders, lead JE Dunn’s presentation. JE Dunn's team focused heavily on experience with community parks, collaborative preconstruction, and cost-control systems: • Project Team Strength: Emphasized a senior-level team with national park-construction experience and local Florida presence. • Cost Management: Highlighted JE Dunn's proprietary real-time cost modeling platform and commitment to early cost certainty. • Schedule Control: Outlined a phased approach intended to reduce construction duration and maintain park access whenever possible. • Risk Mitigation: Focused on early identification of design conflicts, trade partner input during pre-construction, and contingency planning. • Community Coordination: Discussed managing construction around City events and ensuring safe public access routes. 1.3 Wharton-Smith, Inc. Presentation Mr. Johnny Santos, Director of Operations and additional project staff as part of the Wharton- Smith CMAR team. Wharton-Smith emphasized their existing relationships with the City and strong park-construction track record: • Local Experience: Noted significant work already underway for Zephyrhills (Oakside Cemetery, park improvements), demonstrating familiarity with City procedures and permitting.

• Hands-On Project Management: Committed to on-site leadership and direct communication with City staff, including weekly coordination meetings. • Constructability Expertise: Highlighted challenges specific to Zephyr Park—such as stormwater management, pedestrian circulation, and event programming and discussed tailored solutions. • Community Partnerships: Noted strong relationships with local subcontractors and community groups, providing opportunities for cost efficiencies. • Track Record With Similar Parks: Presented examples of municipal park renovations with similar elements including playgrounds, shade structures, pathways, lighting, and event spaces. 1.4 Reeves Young, LLC Presentation Mr. Mike Iezzi, Project Executive and team including company President Chad McLeod, lead Reeves Young presentation. Reeves Young focused on technical innovation, site logistics, and design-build synergy: • Regional Expertise: Emphasized their presence in the Southeastern U.S. with experience constructing waterfront amenities, recreation facilities, and public infrastructure. • Construction Logistics: Outlined traffic flow plans, pedestrian safety zones, and staging areas intended to minimize disruption at the highly visible Zephyr Park site. • Budget Stewardship: Discussed detailed cost-tracking methods and commitment to transparency through open-book accounting. • Quality Control Measures: Highlighted their layered inspection system, third-party testing coordination, and continuous quality monitoring. • Sustainability Focus: Presented options for durable materials, water-efficient landscaping, and long-term operations savings. Council President announced a break at 4:22 PM Council President resumed the meeting at 4:27 PM 1.5 Discussion Council members discussed the strengths and differences among the firms, referencing staff evaluations and detailed CMAR submissions. Discussion topics included pre-construction readiness, cost predictability, prior performance with the City, and management style. An informal vote was conducted to gauge feedback, with consensus in favor of Reeves Young. Staff will return with a formal recommendation to award the bid. CITIZEN COMMENTS - NONE ADJOURN 4:56 p.m. Submitted by Ricardo Quiñones