A performance report released last month investigating the actions of parties involved in the Stevens Plantation Development Special District is still under final review, but it points out some inconsistencies in the early stages of the district’s development.

Representatives from the Delta Consulting Group presented their findings to the Stevens Plantation board, which includes the same members as St. Cloud’s City Council, on Feb. 18. Board members expressed chagrin at various issues in the report, but mostly expressed a desire to move on from the controversy that plagued the early development of Stevens Plantation.

The report specifically on the special district was prompted by Delta’s similar report on the corresponding Stevens Plantation Community Development District. Some of the findings of the previous report were more related to the dealings of the special district, said Robert Cavoto, Delta Consulting's senior manager.

“There didn’t appear to be any favorable terms given to any member of the city council, any city employee or consultant hired by the DSD related to the project,” Cavoto said. “Overall, our opinions at this time are that the transactions related to the real estate sales within the Stevens Plantation development were all basically market transactions.”

The biggest inconsistencies by Delta reported involved verbal agreements and commitments the development’s project manager, Marketing Resources, Inc., made to builders or developers that never came about. The commitments mostly had to do with promises for infrastructure.

Delta also noted shortcomings with the project management itself.

“One other finding that we had was that the project manager was fairly active in the sales and marketing aspect,” Cavoto said. “The project manager was not probably fully focused on the operational aspects of the DSD.”

The comment elicited quick laughter from the governing board.

“That’s an understatement,” Chairwoman Mayor Donna Hart said.

The other board members agreed.

“MRI rolled in because of their connection with the previous city manger,” Member Mickey Hopper said later. “I don’t think they were qualified to take this project on.”

As noted in a previous report, MRI continued to be paid for about 24 months after its work should have been completed.

One of Delta’s investigations involved the sale of Stevens Plantation’s corporate office tracts, specifically that of tract 7, which was sold to a partnership entity between Ken Baker and Wayne Schoolfield for $300,000, or $3.44 per square foot.

Conversely, tracts 2 and 3 – both larger in acreage than tract 7 – sold for a higher price per square foot, $5.02 and $5.78, respectively. Delta concluded, however, that the sale “appears to be a market rate transaction based on existing Project conditions.”

The report further concluded the same for a lot purchased by former mayor Glen Sangionvanni, bought from a builder for $85,000 with the expectation of the construction of a custom home.

Delta also explained that MRI was not writing up monthly progress reports as called for in their contract, which might have cleared up the issues with verbal agreements supposedly made with developers and builders. No documentation existed to support a promise that the landfill adjacent to Stevens Plantation would be abandoned and funds given to create a neighborhood park, as promised. Also, promises for extensive landscaping in common areas came under verbal agreement only.

Delta also reported to the council that issues between the development and Embarq, contracted to install fiber optic cable for residents’ phone and Internet, had yet to be resolved.