No-Bid Yacht Club Lease At Reduced Rent Proposed by City Staff

JOHN PATRICK REGAN, P.E., City Manager, and JAMES PIGGOTT, Director of General Services, have proposed renewing the no-bid ST. AUGUSTINE YACHT CLUB lease for another 10-25 years, at reduced rent, slashing the rent from $1500 to $1000 per month.
The property includes docks and a 1988 building with 1664 square feet, worth more than $200,000, bordering on Salt Run and overlooking Anastasia State Park and Conch Island (future St. Augustine National Historical Park and National Seashore).
Rather than audit all contracts, the City staff members are in a hurry.
City staff want to renew a contract for the richest St. Augustinians. Pretext is declining membership and quid pro quo "services."
CITY MANAGER JOHN PATRICK REGAN, P.E. is sail number 229 in the ST. AUGUSTINE YACHT CLUB, INC.
Did he inform Commissioners of this possible appearance of impropriety and conflict of interest?
Not in their packets.
Disgusting?
Unethical?
While he says he is not a member (see above), it looks like he has been used by the owners and controllers (again).
Vote no!
This property has not been open for community use as promised. Some events were open only to registered Republicans. And the proposed new lease provides for use only by the Yachut Club and neighborhood/community associations."
It was once a community center and before that at the Lighthouse Restaurant. The City's restaurant lease was so poorly drafted that it did not provide for a security deposit on the restaurant. Neither does the Yacht Club Lease.
Like the City's controversial lease of 81 St. George Street to ex-Mayor LEN WEEKS and ex-Mayor JOE BOLES, this lease provides for construction, acting as if a dock on city property does not become city property until the Yacht Club leaves (when basic property law says fixtures to the land are immediately owned by the Owner).
The lease has other questionable provisions, including a no-discrimination provision that omits sexual orientation.