Finance Committee - 08/05/2020 Page 5
Thank you for bringing this forward, the contract looks thorough. My question is just more general, is it normal
practice for cities to have this kind of relationship and if so why haven’t we had one until now.
Director Cummings
If | may Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Donchess
Yes, go ahead.
Director Cummings
| can’t speak to past practice, but | can saw that it is not uncommon for municipalities to retain brokerage firms
to dispose of properties especially if it is a unique or challenging site. It really depends on the specifics of what
the municipality's end goals may be. Sometimes, going the route of an auction may make the most sense and
sometimes going direct to RFP for the subject property may make the most sense and sometimes using a
brokerage firm. So previous communities have always retained and had relationships with professional
brokers to use as necessary and | just think it is a best practice that the City have one retained with the agreed
upon commission that we can call upon as necessary moving forward as a best practice.
Alderman Harriott-Gathright
May | speak to something here?
Mayor Donchess
Alderwoman Harriott-Gathright?
Alderman Harriott-Gathright
Yes, the motion reads a little bit differently but as part of remarks Tim it does say that a contract for NAI
Norwood to assist as necessary on a case-by-case basis with the advisory and procurement this position of
commercial real estate. So that is there but that’s not quite the motion, but it is part of | guess (audio cuts out),
is part of this communications.
Director Cummings
Excellent, thank you Alderman; but again | just want to clarify if you could further read the motion does the
motion say “approval by the Finance Committee or approval by the Full Board of Aldermen”.
Alderman Harriott-Gathright
No, this is for Finance Committee and then it moves to the Board of Aldermen but it doesn’t say that. Let me
read it to you again just to be clear. It says “to accept, place on file and award the professional services
contract for various commercial real estate needs to NAI Norwood, by roll call’. And that is typically the way it
reads to get through us before the Board.
Director Cummings
Thank you.
Alderman Harriott-Gathright
