Decisions of the executive council of October 31, 2024

The rehousing of 341 agents, or nearly a third of the COM's workforce, on a single site is one of the major challenges facing the Collectivité, with the following objectives:

• Restoration of public services: By bringing together services on a single site, the Collectivité aims to improve the coordination and speed of responses to the needs of the population.

• Improving working conditions: Providing modern and functional infrastructure to improve the comfort of agents and the efficiency of services.

• Resource optimization: Grouping nearly 400 agents on one site will reduce annual rental costs, which amount to more than 2 million euros, and promote collaboration between teams.

• Strengthening resilience: The new infrastructure will be designed to withstand climate hazards, thereby reducing risks in the event of future natural disasters.

• Urban renewal: The project contributes to the revitalization and economic development of Saint-Martin in general and downtown Marigot in particular. It is part of an urban renewal plan with a strategic location at the intersection of Concordia and Hollande Streets.

The Executive Council of October 31, 2024 decides to approve the report of the analyses of the offers, of the Call for Tenders Commission of July 9, 2024 and authorizes the President of the Territorial Council to sign the mandate contract for the construction of the administrative center and its outdoor spaces for the Overseas Collectivité of Saint-Martin.

The total amount of the project is estimated at 35 million euros, of which 29 million will be financed by the Collectivité de Saint-Martin, with the State's participation amounting to 6 million euros under the present Convergence and Transformation Contract (CCT 2024-2027). This amount, which represents a sum equivalent to approximately 6% of the Territory's GDP, is similar to that planned for the construction of the new State administrative city (€38.8 million planned).

The commissioning of the administrative center and its outdoor spaces for the Overseas Collectivité of Saint-Martin is planned for the 2nd quarter of 2027.

The Collectivité has launched a project to rebuild the Grand-Case Cultural and Sports Center. This project is a response to the damage caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017, which seriously affected this essential infrastructure for the Territory. The cultural center, before its partial destruction, played a vital role in providing spaces for cultural, sports and social activities.

The project is part of a revitalization and social cohesion approach, aimed at restoring a meeting place and encouraging sports practice in Saint-Martin. This new center is envisaged not only as a simple reconstruction but as a symbol of resilience for the inhabitants of Grand-Case and the entire island of Saint-Martin.

The project to reconstruct the Grand-Case Cultural and Sports Center is following an open tender procedure.

The Executive Council decides to award the single lot contract to the most economically advantageous offer, taking into account technical criteria, financial guarantees and experience. Once the successful bidder has been notified, the implementation phase can begin. The project is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2027.

The total cost of the project is estimated at 10.28 million euros, financed mainly by the Collectivité (7.83 million, or approximately 76% of the total) and the State (2.45 million under the 2024-2027 Convergence and Transformation Contract).

The Sandy-Ground Socio-Cultural and Sports Centre, located in the heart of one of the two priority neighbourhoods of the city (QPV) of Saint-Martin, was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Before this disaster, this centre played a key role by offering a wide range of cultural and social activities, such as film screenings, as well as a space for local associations and a restaurant. However, after the hurricane, only a few associative activities could be maintained, leaving the majority of the site abandoned.

The center was located near two schools, the Jérôme Beaupère nursery school and the Sandy-Ground elementary school, making it a central location for the neighborhood. The Collectivité de Saint-Martin decided to rebuild the center to restore its role as a "meeting place" and strengthen the neighborhood's social cohesion. The goal is also to bring together several public services on the same site to improve their accessibility.

With the allocation of a second plot of land, the space will be redeveloped and expanded, providing facilities better suited to the diverse needs of Sandy-Ground's population (approximately 3,000 residents).

The Executive Council therefore decides to award the contract for the reconstruction of the Sandy-Ground Socio-Cultural and Sports Centre to the most competitive company that meets the expectations of the Collectivité.

The Sandy-Ground Socio-Cultural and Sports Centre reconstruction project is estimated at a total cost of €10.69 million, a slight increase compared to a previous estimate of €9.7 million made in December 2022. The funding breakdown is as follows:

• 72.9% of the total cost will be covered by the Collectivité of Saint-Martin, or €7,790,325.

• 27.1% of the total cost will be financed by the French State via the Exceptional Investment Fund (EIF) 2024, i.e. €2,895,743.

No additional land acquisition is planned because the land on which the project will be carried out already belongs to the Collectivité.

The project to build the Operational Technical Centre for Risk Prevention and Management of the Collectivité of Saint-Martin is part of a post-cyclone context, particularly after the destruction caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017. This hurricane seriously damaged many buildings, including those of the Collectivité's technical centre. Since then, temporary solutions, such as the use of containers and mobile homes, have been put in place but they are considered insufficient and unsuitable for the needs of the activities on the site.

The current technical center, located in Galisbay in Marigot, no longer offers the necessary conditions to effectively ensure the prevention and risk management missions. The construction project aims to rehabilitate part of the infrastructure and build new ones in order to better meet the requirements of the technical services of the Collectivité. This new facility will make it possible to bring together different departments such as the Living Environment and Ecological Transition Delegation, thus promoting better coordination between services and a pooling of resources.

The procedure for implementing the Operational Technical Centre for Risk Prevention and Management of the Collectivité of Saint-Martin follows a precise regulatory framework, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Code. The Collectivité has opted for a delegation mandate in order to entrust the execution of the project to a representative, who will act in its name and on its behalf.

The forecast budget for the operation is set at €13,000,000 including tax (value December 2023), this amount covering the sums committed to the completion of the work, excluding the remuneration of the agent.

The Executive Council decides to approve the award of the contract for the construction of the Collectivité's operational technical center for prevention and risk management, to the company that meets the Collectivité's expectations.