🚩 RED FLAG 🚩
**Manager Seyferth's agenda item has no supporting documents in the agenda packet**


Consent item: give the city manager temporary power to spend state grant money on 3rd Street Wharf without a separate Commission award on every bid. No supporting documents attached.

RFP was published at June's end

Millions in state grant money has to be spent by December 31, 2026. Staff says that is about 14 weeks, holidays included. They asked the state to push into 2027 and are not confident they will get it, especially with a change in administrations coming. If grant money is not spent in 2026, it may be lost. An RFP for park design was published in June, around 7 months after the development agreement was approved by the Commission.

3rd St Wharf is the big empty greenspace

The figure on Seyferth's agenda form is up to $2.8 million, already budgeted, though the form also marks a budget amendment is necessary. He says standard sealed bids plus Commission votes may add four to six weeks per step. Staff say that calendar pushes past the grant-spend deadline.

If the state had extended into 2027, staff say they would not ask for this spending ability. Staff says the sewer line at the wharf no longer has to move. The development agreement says grant money is to fund sewer work, park improvements, and LST restoration. Every Commission meeting after this, staff would report spending since the last meeting, vendors paid, and what is next. Public engagement on the final park pieces is still promised and staff says this vote is to get basic work done inside the state deadline.

Vote: Yes or NO

A yes gives Manager Seyferth unilateral power to select and hire qualified vendors with grant funds without each bid coming back to the Commission for input and a vote. A no keeps the usual bid-and-award cycle, but risks leaving money on the table on December 31.

Packet: September 22, 2026 agenda packet