A $400,000 grant from the State of Florida for improvement of City Park started a project that now has a construction cost of $641,559 plus the demolition cost of the old facilities. The contract for construction was approved by the Cedar Key Commission January 9, with provision for completion by August 7, 2007. The contract was given to Taylor Construction and Development, Inc. Commissioner Heath Davis, who has oversight of the park project, expressed frustration with the architect who designed the park during the meeting. (Davis is the Commission member serving as liaison for the Parks and Cemetery Department.) Mayor/Commissioner Paul Oliver said in mid-meeting that the Commission seems to have approved the project four times already. The only qualified bidder on the park project was Taylor. Commissioner Vanessa Edmunds noted that the plan, "Isn't what we (originally) planned." Commissioner Sue Colson added, "This isn't what we wanted." Colson also advocated getting the park back in a useful condition, rather than a fenced-off construction zone. Audience member Scott McNulty suggested tabling the contract discussion for two weeks and reopening bids. Despite earlier efforts to trim the cost of the project, the meeting was recessed so that Davis, CRA Director Jackie Gorman and Taylor representatives could do further negotiation. Subsequently the contract was approved on a five to zero vote. The plan now calls for four 10 x 10 foot picnic shelters, a pavilion, and refurbishing the existing gazebo. Commissioner Colson, who is the Commission's liaison for the Marina, offered to use Marina funds for unsheltered tables to temporarily compensate for the six shelters removed from the plan for financial reasons that brought the current cost down to $641,559. The cost of the project had been much higher due to a design using tapered metal poles and unusual brackets. Commissioner Davis said that Architect Hal Reid had unbendingly demanded metal poles and their source. He appeared to jokingly suggest that Reid owns stock in the pole manufacturer. He later said that he could think of no other reason for Reid's demands. Davis also said that the cost of the project had escalated because the cost of a 2 x 4 had gone from $0.78 to $3.00 since the grant had been received. | 