The City of Fort Wayne last week announced its contractor for Phases II and III of the riverfront development, but making the move official hit a technical snag Tuesday night.
Last Friday, Mayor Tom Henry’s office announced David Rubin Land Collective would take on construction of Phases II and III on a contract of $2.5 million. Rubin expressed his excitement to take on a project so important to the city.
“The DNA of this place is situated in and along the river. The river represents multiple communities and the opportunity to have folks have representation in the context of this extraordinary, linear natural feature,” Rubin said Friday.
But the mayor withdrew the contract from City Council’s agenda Tuesday night.
Republican at-large councilman John Crawford says last summer’s 0.13 percent local income tax increase stipulates a competitive sealed bidding process when selecting the developer for future phases. Crawford says this method allows Council to take an in-depth look at where taxpayer dollars are going.
Instead, the City used a qualifications-based process.
“It is extremely important we follow the purchase agreement rules as laid out by city code, make sure we’re getting the best possible price and service at all times,” said Crawford.
Crawford added that it’s “not a big deal,” and he remains a supporter of the project. Mayor Henry spokesman John Perlich says they will seek to answer these questions quickly so this does not impact the development schedule.
