The concerns about finding an entity to conduct an evaluation of Superior National at Lutsen was also discussed at the Cook County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, December 21. County- Auditor Treasurer Braidy Powers, who was charged with collecting the responses from firms interested in conducting the evaluation, said everyone who replied expressed the opinion that the study could not be completed before the April 2011 deadline.
Powers said 20 letters with a request for proposals were sent. Eight people replied—and all said they wanted to see the golf course in use before completing the evaluation. A few of the consultants suggested conducting the evaluation in two phases, reviewing paperwork over the winter and then assessing the golf course when the weather allows a site visit to the course. There were also questions about just what the county expected from the consultant. For that reason, Powers asked the firm that is working with the county on construction of the community center, ORB Management, if it would be willing to look at the process the county used to develop and send out the request for proposals (RFPs).
Commissioner Fritz Sobanja said he shared the concerns about the timeline. “It seems like to review the golf course, you gotta see it in action,” he said.
Sobanja added that he had qualms about extending the evaluation period however, because the firms that did not apply because they felt they could not meet that deadline were being short-changed. If the request for proposal schedule for completion is changed, it should be sent out to all of the parties to let them know there is now a different time frame.
Commissioner Jan Hall asked why the county attorney couldn’t do the RFP.
Auditor Powers said the county could redo the RFP, but noted that no one at the county is as familiar with the RFP process as ORB Management. He suggested listening to them and if the firm charged too much, the county board did not have to use their services.
Powers also said the board could authorize funds for the golf course before the study was complete. Hall agreed, “We never said we wouldn’t give them money for infrastructure,” she said.
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