ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy is now authorized to begin negotiations with the Venice-based Sully’s Quality Projects construction firm for the demolition of the Anna Maria City Pier.
According to the combined rankings prepared by Murphy, City Clerk LeAnne Addy and Ayres Associates vice president Jay Saxena, Sully was the top-ranked firm of the five that responded to the city’s second request for proposals (RFP).
Ayres Associates is designing and engineering the new pier.
On Tuesday, Anna Maria commissioners voted 4-0 in favor of authorizing Murphy to begin contract negotiations with Sully’s.
Sully’s received a total score of 79.3, Speeler & Associates received a score of 78.3, Shoreline Foundation’s score was 70, Under Construction Contractors’ score was 68 and Kelly Brothers’ score was 66.
Sully’s bid the demolition job for $685,530, Speeler bid $732,000, Shoreline bid $642,908, Under Construction bid $495,000 and Kelly bid $406,417.
The six-category scoring criteria included skill and experience, references for current projects, bid amount, adherence to specifications and requirements, provision of a detailed work plan and the location of the prime contractor and subcontractors.
Murphy said those who followed city protocol and requested to have their planks returned should be able to pick them up in early July.
During Tuesday’s special meeting, Commissioner Brian Seymour noted that Sully’s was only ranked highest in one of the six categories, that being location. Speeler ranked highest or was tied for the highest score in four categories.
Seymour asked if the city was bound to go by the rankings sheet. Murphy was of the opinion the ranking sheet needed to be the commission’s primary decision-making tool because the point system is “clear and objective.”
Murphy said he planned to meet with Sully’s on Wednesday. He told the commission that if he can’t come to agreeable terms with that firm, then Speeler, with the commission’s authorization, would be the next demolition firm to negotiate with.
Murphy noted that Sully’s proposal estimated the demolition would be done by Aug. 16. Prior to demolition, local contractor Frank Agnelli will remove and store the engraved wooden pier planks at no cost to the city.
After the meeting, Murphy said those who followed city protocol and requested to have their planks returned should be able to pick them up in early July.
Commissioner Dale Woodland did not attend Tuesday’s special meeting. During the commission’s May 18 meeting, Woodland voiced his objection to the existing pier being demolished and replaced. He said he could not support any of the original three demolition bids received.
During the May 18 meeting, the commission rejected all three bids because the bids from Speeler ($853,00) and Sully’s ($780,730) were too high, and because Murphy didn’t feel Under Construction had the necessary experience. Two other firms responded to the original RFP but missed the submission deadline and their bids were returned unopened.
The city has not yet determined who will build the new pier, restaurant and bait shop. The entire pier project has an estimated cost of $4.5 million and an anticipated completion date of December 2019.
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