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Only local firms kept on engineer list PDF Print E-mail
County News
Friday, 07 January 2011 13:32

Quiones_John

Quiñones
By Marvin G. Cortner
Editor
Osceola County commissioners Monday favored six local firms over out-of-county businesses to provide engineering services on an as-needed basis for smaller projects.
After reviewing written proposals and face-to-face interviews, staff had ranked and approved 13 engineering firms with which to negotiate various projects when they come up; only six of these firms are based in Osceola County. The county previously had contracts for ongoing engineering work with a number of local firms.
Kissimmee companies kept on the worklist and their original rankings were: Hanson, Walter & Associates, second; SAI Engineering, fifth; Franklin, Hart and Reid, eighth; and CM Arrington and Associates, 13. St. Cloud firms remaining eligible for work are Osceola Engineering, ranked third, and Infrastructure Engineers, ranked fourth.
The firms bumped off the list for not being based in the county and their ranking were: PBS&J, Orlando, first; Metric Engineering, Lake Mary, sixth; HDR, Orlando, seventh; Pegasus, Winter Springs, ninth; PB Americas, Orlando, 10th; Comprehensive Engineering Services, Orlando, 11th; and CPH Engineers, Orlando, 12th.
County staff said that 25 firms offered proposals for the work, but that the list was whittled down to 13. When a project arises, staff from the relevant department will pick a firm with which to negotiate, matching the firm’s skills and experience to the needs of the project. Individual projects assigned cannot exceed $250,000 in engineering/design value and individual firms cannot earn more than $1 million annually.
County Commissioner John Quiñones, commenting on the 13-firm list, said that there were too few projects and too little money available for so many companies.
Commissioner Frank Attkisson then made the motion to cut the list to the six local firms. The vote passed, with Quiñones and Attkisson voting for it, Commissioner Michael Harford voting against it and Chairman Brandon Arrington abstaining. Commissioner Fred Hawkins Jr. was not at the meeting.
Larry Walter, of Hanson, Walter & Associates, said he is grateful his firm was among the six selected for the engineering work.
“This decision follows the commission’s commitment to support local vendors and keep local tax dollars in our local economy,” Walter said.
When asked about the outlook for the year in terms of non-governmental work, Walter said he thinks 2011 is going to be a lot like 2010, as “a majority of those in the private sector still don’t have the confidence to get moving again.”
“One positive locally is the moratorium on impact fees.  Hopefully, this will give new life to some projects that were on hold, as well as encourage new projects,” he said.
Walter also said his firm spends an average of two to three weeks putting together proposals for the county, depending on the size and scope of the work, which translates to a cost to the firm of somewhere between $5,000 and $8,000.
Contract delayed a month on water quality issues
Commissioners Monday on a 4-0 vote also postponed until Feb. 14 approving negotiations with Camp, Dresser and McKee, of Maitland, to provide ongoing professional consulting services for county surface water and stormwater quality and management. Ten firms provided proposals for this work.
Attkisson said the county has a “hugely flawed procurement system” and that the county “wants to address the needs of local folks” when it comes to providing jobs. He also questioned whether the work is needed sooner rather than later and whether it could be delayed until better economic times.
The top three firms for this work, ranked in order, were: Camp, Dresser and McKee, with Osceola Engineering as a local sub-consultant; PBS&J; and Hanson, Walter & Associates, with RJ Whidden and Associates and Austin Environmental, both Kissimmee firms, as sub-consultants.
Harford, commenting that water issues are taking on more and more prominence with local governments, said the work is needed sooner rather than later, given federal and state mandates related to water quality.
Quiñones asked what would be the harm of delaying the work until it is clear how the new governor in Tallahassee would view the mandates.
“The state may have different requirements in six months,” he said.
Arrington said delaying six-months would be like the county putting its head in the sand, essentially avoiding facing water issues. He added that the availability of water and water quality is what will drive development in the future.
According to county staff, the work would involve collection and analysis of data related to water issues and that the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud would be partners in that work.
Other commission news
The commission Monday also finished appointments to the Charter Review Advisory Commission, with those appointments extending through Nov. 7, 2012. The first appointment – approved at the Dec. 20 meeting – was Gabriel de Jesus for district 4.
Members of the committee – comprised of two appointees from each district and one at large member – must be registered voters in Osceola County.
The new appointments include: Dean Bruner and Larry Dykes, district 1; Jeri Devore and German Colon, district 2; Casmore Shaw and Brian Castello, district 3; Jimmy Celeste, district 4; Sonny Lollis and Rawl Purcell, district 5; and Al Torres, at large.
 

COMMENTS_LIST_HEADER  

 
-1 #1 Mark 2013-05-21 20:52
I'd be curious to see just how many of the currently picked local firms also contributed to any of the commissioner's campaign funds.
Just how grateful Mr Walters is will be evident when the next round of elections come around. After all, he's been seen almost daily in the county administration building and freely walks around as though he were already a county employee.
Mr. Quinones and Atkkisson show their lack of understanding in the water issues by asking about delaying the process. Guidelines and musts, are different. Guidelines are set to assist you to follow a program. When the Feds say you MUST, why start questioning it now? Yes, I know it's from the state but the state is receiving the program rules and money from the Feds.
Clearly these two commissioners should actually read up and do their homework before making embarrassing(to themselves) statements.
 

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