Volume 11, Issue 3- Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Mary Scott Nabers, President/CEO, Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

The longest government shutdown in history continues and the impact has spread far beyond government workers and their families. It is difficult to find any business, school, hospital, city, county, college, university or local government organization that is not suffering as a result of the shutdown. The negative impact on retail establishments of all types, farmers, contractors, social service organizations and citizen workers has been great as well. It strikes at the heart of the country's economic stability and it is devastating for issues related to the nation's crumbling infrastructure. 

At a time when taxpayers and citizens thought the country would be involved in addressing the nation's deteriorating infrastructure, the government shutdown has halted thousands of transportation projects. 

Since Oct. 1, local transportation districts have waited in vain for federal funding that was anticipated. Public officials were already struggling because of limited resources. At the start of the country's new fiscal year, government was open only because of a continuing resolution and that caused a significant reduction in federal disbursements that were earmarked for local government coffers. Only 25 percent of $55 billion which had been allocated for highway and federal transit projects was ever released from Washington D.C. Adding more stress was the fact that the continuing resolution also kept all funding at 2018 levels, leaving states without the increased revenue Congress had approved for 2019.  

Now, because of the government shutdown, all new funding has been stalled as well. That stoppage won't be reversed quickly under any circumstances. Once the government is open again, transportation funding will face uncertainties, red tape and bureaucratic processes in Congress. The delays will continue to curtail hundreds of critical construction projects. Projected costs will increase and taxpayers will pay more. 

Transit agencies know there may be no way for them to apply for grants to fund new construction projects when the shutdown ends. That's because the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) typically only makes grants available at certain times during a fiscal year. And, the FTA must have five months' worth of appropriations for grant applications to be accepted. So far, in the 2019 fiscal year, there have only been three months of appropriations. That will cause inevitable delays.    

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New York- In an effort for the state's power to be 100 percent carbon-free by 2040, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget for 2019 includes $1.5 billion to fund 20 large solar, wind and energy storage projects across upstate New York. This will be the third year that the governor's office has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for large-scale wind and solar projects. 

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will issue an RFP in April of this year. The state is also investing $1.75 billion in New York's Green bank, a venture fund focused on clean energy projects, and $3.5 billion toward private investment in solar through the NY-Sun program to offer incentives to residents and businesses.
Louisiana- Voters approved a half-cent sales tax in December that will go towards MovEBR's (East Baton Rouge) plan to relieve traffic congestion in Baton Rouge, Baker, Zachary and Central. The plan will fund nearly 70 projects in the capital region that address commuters' safety, road capacity and mobility concerns. The half-cent sales tax increase through 2049 will raise around $1 billion. 

Mayor Sharon Weston Broome's administration is expected to issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) by the end of January for a program manager to oversee the road improvement plan. Through the RFQ process, firms compete based on how they propose to deliver the services and their experience with large-scale programs like MovEBR. Then an independent engineering selection board will recommend the top firm, and the city-parish will negotiate a fee based on the services the firm provided in their bid. After negotiations, a contract with the firm will go before the Metro Council for consideration. Pending council approval, the mayor would then execute the contract.
Massachusetts- In Lowell, the city council received an update on the proposed Lowell High School downtown campus. Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2021 and finish in 2026. Although an updated estimate is expected soon, the project is currently estimated to cost $345.4 million. The high school will include a five-story Freshman Academy and a two-story gymnasium. 

The city will submit its schematic design to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in February before seeking design approval from the board in April. A request for qualifications will be available to construction firms in March followed by a request for proposals to be due by April 25. A construction manager is expected to be awarded the contract by June 7.
Minnesota- Minnesota's Interstate 94 project continues to advance as officials lay the groundwork for the $161.5 million expansion and makeover of 9.6 miles of interstate between Maple Grove and Rogers and the addition of another lane in each direction. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) recently released an environmental assessment worksheet for the project after coordinating with public and local entities on the project. 

Goals include restoring pavement, improving traffic flow and better drainage. The improvements and widening will impact up to 117,000 motorists a day during peak traffic. MnDOT is expected to select a contractor for the project by October and break ground in spring 2020.
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New York- Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing to build a new $750 million public health laboratory in Albany. The proposed facility would be built on the Harriman State Office Campus and would consolidate operations of facilities in five different locations, including the Axelrod Institute and Center for Medical Science on New Scotland Avenue, the Biggs Laboratory under the Empire State Plaza and Griffin Laboratory in Slingerlands.  

The state legislature and governor's office have already approved funding to build the lab. It is part of the state health department's Wadsworth Center, which tracks disease outbreaks in food and researches developmental disorders. The new lab could generate $2.3 billion in economic activity in the region if the state partners with private companies. Now that a location for the lab has been decided, the state is expected to issue a request for proposals.
Florida- On March 12 voters in Fort Lauderdale will decide whether to approve $300 million in bond issues. A new police headquarters will use $100 million while the rest, $200 million, will cover improvements for parks. The new, four-story police facility will also have a high-security parking garage that is located along Broward Boulevard and Southwest 14th Avenue. Included in the $100 million bond issue are funds for bomb trucks and command center vehicles.

The current police headquarters, built in 1958, is an 85,000-square-foot building that has a basement and three floors. There is not enough room to support the growing police force and storage space in the current building. Water leaks in the roof, flooding in the basement and mold have also been an ongoing problem. 
Kansas- Douglas County officials have produced a new $23 million estimate for expansion and modernization of the local jail. The Douglas County jail project would entail a new central south tower with up to 112 additional beds. The tower could be constructed with four cell pods with a capacity of 28 beds each, or with three such cell blocks and a medical bay. 

Currently, the jail has 186 beds and the new addition would combat overcrowding, allow for inmates housed in other county jails to be relocated, restore space for re-entry and work release programs, and increase safety. After approval is received by county commissioners, county officials will solicit a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a construction manager who would help firm up cost estimates and, eventually, handle the expansion under a construction manager at risk method.  
Ohio- In 2017, the Oregon City Council passed a resolution in support of designating a zoning overlay as the first step in creating a downtown area that would include retail, residential, an entertainment district and open green space along Navarre Avenue. The area totals 167 acres. 

This week, City Council approved an agreement with the Oregon Economic Development Foundation to acquire additional land for commercial or residential development of a downtown area. The city acquired 30 acres of property that is behind a vacant facility that formerly housed a retail business. The city is also entering into a lease-purchase agreement with the owner of the vacant facility on Navarre Avenue. Plans call for that area to be mixed-use residential and retail development. Once the acquisition of property is finalized the city plans to issue a request for proposals to developers.
Louisiana- The Algiers Development District (ADD) is a special taxing district created by state legislation to promote economic development within the city's 15th ward, known as Federal City. The Federal City is the location of a U.S. Naval base. ADD is seeking a request for interest (RFI) to design, entitle, build, finance and operate a commercial project on a 9.4-acre site at New Orleans Riverside at Federal City. Under a separate RFI, the ADD is seeking interest to design, entitle, build, finance and operate a multi-family housing project at the site. 

The authority intends to award contracts to the proposer deemed the best qualified to achieve the ADD's objectives. The developments are envisioned to enhance the character of the surrounding community. A ground lease is expected to be negotiated between the ADD and the successful respondent. Responses are due by Feb. 28.
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Photo courtesy: City of Jacksonville City- Hart Bridge
Florida- In Jacksonville, the Department of Public Works (DPW) released a timeline to revamp the Hart Bridge's ramps in the downtown area. The elevated ramps into downtown would be lowered to surface street-level, an intersection would be added between Bay Street and Gator Bowl Boulevard, roads would be widened and a new ramp would be constructed at A. Philip Randolph Boulevard. 

The project is estimated to cost $39 million and to be completed by the end of 2021. The department is expected to advertise for a design-build contract in the next several weeks. A shortlist of contractors will be developed in the second quarter of this year and a final selection will be made in the last few months of the year.
Maryland- Ocean Pines is expected to expand its police department after a successful board vote last week. Ocean Pines is a community located in Maryland's Eastern Shore in Northern Worcester County.  The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors voted unanimously to solicit bids for the design and construction of an expansion to the police department. 

A criminal justice firm that evaluated the station in 2016 recommended a facility of 5,300 square feet for the Ocean Pines Police, significantly larger than the current 1,700-square-foot space. The general manager is directed to contact a minimum of three design-build construction firms regarding the project with the intent to move forward in the first quarter of 2019.
Louisiana- Plans for a hotel at the Baton Rouge Airport are being revived. A 2016 plan for a hotel on a roughly 3-acre property of airport land was a non-starter, but airport administrators are ready to proceed with the concept by working on a request for proposals that will be issued in coming months. 

The airport would like to see the development of a 150-room hotel and potentially an attached restaurant to generate revenue for the airport. Potential terms of the deal are an annual payment of around $280,000 a year to the airport, plus an additional $250,000 or 6 percent of revenue. Officials are hopeful that they can forge a public-private partnership and move forward with the project.
New Hampshire- The state of New Hampshire is seeking a private partner to develop a rest area/welcome center on the Spaulding Turnpike. The idea for a welcome center in the area has been circulating for a few years, and the privatization option has only been recently pursued. It was proposed during a presentation at a hearing of the P3 Commission, formally known as the state's Public-Private Partnership (P3) Infrastructure Oversight Commission. 

The potential for the 12-acre site arose from the Spaulding widening project that converted a clover interchange into a slip ramp system, leaving the unused space on the northbound side of the Turnpike. A request for proposals is expected in the coming months to develop the area as a P3 with commercial amenities.
Hawaii- The city and county of Honolulu's Board of Water Supply (BWS) has issued a request for qualifications for bond counsel services for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Services include municipal debt, bonds and public-private partnerships (P3). 

BWS manages Oahu's municipal water resources and distribution system. Funds collected from water sales finance its operations and projects. As a semi-autonomous agency, the BWS is governed by a seven-member board of directors. The BWS is the largest municipal water utility in the state of Hawaii. Responses are due by Feb. 8.
Kentucky- Officials in Pike County are seeking a solution to their solid waste management woes. Discussion of a 40 percent increase in residential solid waste collection rates has led to the scheduling of town halls for the public to weigh in on the matter. There are issues with both the solid waste department and the county's landfill at Ford Mountain Road that have become progressively worse over time. 

The department currently operates at a $1 million deficit annually, and officials admit that an increase in rates won't be enough to fully fix the departments' problems. Current rates are under $20 a month and it is projected that an increase to around $25 would balance the solid waste collection budget. The landfill is another issue entirely as it nears its lifetime capacity. One option is to export trash to a neighboring county, but the cost of that would drive residential collection prices up to $55 a month. Officials have brought up the possibility of an interlocal agreement or a public-private partnership to address the issue.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

March 4-6 / Dallas, Texas
The 7th Annual Public-Private Partnership Conference & Expo will be held March 4-6 at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. Government Contracting Pipeline readers can use promo code 100GCP to receive $100 off their registration. Register before Jan. 25 and save an additional $150. Register for the event here. 

Join over 1,250 senior representatives from governments, higher education institutions and leading firms in the global construction and financial markets. The conference attracts professionals from all corners of the industry and provides a valuable opportunity to facilitate new partnerships with industry peers and public sector partners. Attendees will discover new alternative project delivery methods, strategies for implementing successful P3 projects, the nuts and bolts of how deals work, and how to manage risks associated with legal and financial frameworks. Attendees will participate in interactive panels, workshops, and conversations specifically tailored to the needs of public agencies evaluating P3s. The conference is designed for all levels in the market including those beginning to explore P3s and seeking to better understand where alternative and accelerated project delivery methods can be applicable.

Attendees will participate in interactive panels, workshops, and conversations specifically tailored to the needs of public agencies evaluating P3s. The conference is designed for all levels in the market including those beginning to explore P3s and seeking to better understand where alternative and accelerated project delivery methods can be applicable.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

*Georgia- Barbara Bender has been appointed the mayor of Snellville after the resignation of Tom Witts. Bender had to resign her council seat to take the mayor's post and a special election will be held March 19 to fill that seat. Bender is the owner of an accounting firm and is the president of the Snellville Entrepreneur Council. 
*Ohio- Seth Timmerman, currently the manager of the Darke County Airport, was named manager of the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport. Timmerman plans to take over as airport manager Jan. 30. Timmerman has served as Darke County airport manager for two years. He holds a pilot's license and a certificate to fly unmanned aerial systems. Timmerman replaces Don Smith, who retired in late October after serving the airport for about four years. 
*Georgia- Michelle Nguyen was named the Economic Development Department (EDD) director for Athens-Clarke County (ACC). Nguyen, who has served as interim director since Sept. 1, began her new position immediately. Nguyen has served on the EDD since July 2017. Before that, she served as a human resources professional in the ACC Human Resources Department. 
*Oregon- Matt Garrett, director of the Oregon Department of Transportation, announced that he plans to retire June 30. During his 13-year tenure, Garrett oversaw the implementation of a 2017 law that allocated $5.3 billion for transportation projects across the state and the formation of local commissions to plan transportation projects. The Oregon Transportation Commission has the authority to hire a new director. 
*Connecticut- David Levinson has announced he will be retiring as president of Norwalk Community College (NCC) and as vice president of Community Colleges for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system (CSCU). His official retirement date is June 30. Levinson has been the president of CSCU for 15 years and the vice president for eight years. Cheryl DeVonish will serve as the NCC interim campus chief executive officer, with responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the campus beginning July 1. 
*Arkansas- Dawn Stoyanoff has been named the new associate vice chancellor of Information Technology Services and chief information officer at the University of Arkansas, effective Feb. 25. Stoyanoff is currently the higher education and academic practice director for a technology research and advisory firm in Austin, Texas. Prior to this position, she was an executive director with the University of Texas System Administration for 10 years. 
*California- Palo Alto Deputy City Manager Rob de Geus is leaving next month after 19 years to become the city manager of Westlake Village in Los Angeles County. De Geus has worked for the city since 2000, when he was hired as a recreation coordinator in the Community Services Department. He was promoted to community services director before becoming deputy city manager in 2017. 
*Pennsylvania- After two years with a private company specializing in self-driving vehicles, Maurice Bell came to Pittsburgh to take a position as the Port Authority's chief of operations. Bell will replace Bill Miller, who retired in December after 25 years with the agency. Bell was a paratransit driver in Sacramento, then rose through the ranks to positions overseeing transit operations in Florida and Dallas, where he was vice president of bus operations and general manager of paratransit services. 
*South Carolina- L.J. Roscoe was sworn in Jan. 18 as the Goose Creek's new chief of police, replacing Harvey Becker, who retired last year after more than three decades of service. Roscoe has worked for the Dekalb County Sheriff's Office in Georgia since 1991. She began her career as a detention officer there. In 1994, Roscoe was promoted to deputy sheriff and in 2014 was promoted to the rank of major and transferred to her current position of Field Division commander. 
*Pennsylvania- The Chester County Commissioners have appointed Michael Murphy Jr. as director of the Department of Emergency Services. Murphy was formerly platoon leader for the county's 911 operations. Murphy replaces Robert Kagel, who served as director of the department for four years before his appointment as Chester County Administrator. John Haynes, deputy director of 911 Operations, has been serving as interim director since Kagel moved to the Commissioners' Office. 
*California- Mark Hartwig, the San Bernardino County fire chief, will take on the same position in Santa Barbara County. His last day in San Bernardino County will be Feb. 15. He'll start on the new fire chief on the coast Feb. 18. Hartwig, a firefighter for 27 years, has been fire chief since 2011. He served six years with the Rancho Cucamonga Fire Protection District, where he was promoted to the rank of deputy chief, before being named San Bernardino County fire chief. Former county chief Michael Dyer has been interim fire chief since Chief Eric Peterson retired in October.
*Maryland- Chris Ryer will become the next director of the Baltimore Department of Planning. Ryer will begin his new positions Feb. 11 where he will oversee a collection of planners and panels that help guide land use in the city. The department has a hand in approving specific developments and projects and planning for others. He will take over for acting director Laurie Feinberg.
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