The Community Maritime Park Associates Board of Directors on Wednesday passed leases for parcels 3, 6 and 9 that contained the 24 changes that Mayor Ashton Hayward’s attorney – John Daniel of Beggs & Lane – wanted made to the agreements that were approved by the same board more than a month ago.
The original leases would have been allowed Rishy and Quint Studer to build a conference center, daycare facility and the University of West Florida Center for Entrepreneurship at the Community Maritime Park.
However, the leases were never presented to the Pensacola City Council. After first announcing a few tweaks were needed, Mayor Hayward and Council President Andy Terhaar announced they rejected the leases, which triggered the Studers withdrawing their offers.
Despite having a real estate broker, CBRE, who was to be paid a commission on the leases, the negotiations were turned over to Beggs & Lane. The 24 changes were never discussed and approved by the Pensacola City Council.
City Attorney Jim Messer outlined the Maritime Park development process in 2013 after the YMCA debacle: The CMPA board negotiates leases and submits them to the Pensacola City Council. The council accepts the leases, rejects them or sends back changes they want made – which the CMPA board is required to make. The mayor can facilitate the process and offer recommendations, but he has no role in the process.
Two years later, the process outlined by Messer has been ignored. What is the Pensacola City Council to do with the new leases?
The Studers have moved on to other options. They weren’t even notified that the CMPA would be discussing the Daniel leases. The leases weren’t on the meeting’s agenda.
The park was completed in May 2013. The city government must decide on its lease process for the Maritime Park. If the mayor, council and CMPA board aren’t going to accept the one laid out by Messer, then they should have the new City Attorney Lysia Bowling, CMPA Board Attorney Lisa Minshew and Council Attorney Rusty Wells develop a new one that the Pensacola City Council can approve at its September meeting.
Geez, somebody show some leadership. This isn’t that difficult.