The Port Richey City Council on Aug. 20 approved a contract with Stantec for waterway dredging data collection and a feasibility analysis and moved local budget lines to help cover the work.

City Manager Andrew Butterfield said the contract covers surveys and permitting work to prepare the city to go out to bid for dredging. "It's an adjustment — a minor adjustment of about $8,000 off the last pricing," Butterfield said, adding the work will include surveys, permitting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and other steps to make the project shovel-ready.

The council voted to approve "the purchase of Stantec waterway dredging data collection and feasibility analysis services for $400,007.79" and gave the city manager and city attorney authority to negotiate and finalize the contract. The motion passed with all present members voting in favor; Councilman Robert Hubbard was absent.

Why it matters: the studies and permitting are prerequisites for removing sediment from city waterways. Council members said the surveys must be done in a narrow seasonal window — late August into September — and that permitting timelines, especially with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, can extend the project timeline into subsequent fiscal years.

Council discussion and budget plan

Mayor John Eric Hoover raised a concern about possible duplicated footage on Stantec's mapping of the Brasher Park leg, saying, "It looks like there's potentially some duplication" and asking staff to confirm the firm did not charge twice for the same stretch. Butterfield and other council members said staff would confirm with Stantec and that, if needed, Stantec would reduce the price accordingly.

Council members and staff reviewed the city's available funds for the project. Butterfield said the city currently has $200,000 set aside for dredging in the current fiscal year, $75,000 available in the Nix Park line that could be reallocated, and $135,000 budgeted in the next fiscal year. That combination was described as providing approximately $410,000 available now or soon; council members noted the contract amount would fit within that funding plan but that final permitting and construction costs could push expenditures into FY 2026–27.

Vice Mayor Chris Mayer and others discussed encumbering funds to ensure the city can meet contract obligations if permitting delays push costs into later fiscal years. Council authorized the city manager to finalize the agreement and to accept minor downward adjustments if Stantec identifies overlapping mapping areas.

Permits and schedule

Staff and a member identified as Sal said the surveys must be performed in the September window and that the permitting process could take substantially longer. Sal noted that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is backed up, saying the permitting "can take almost 2 to between 2 and a half to 3 years" from start to finish, and the council acknowledged the city will likely carry costs and work across multiple fiscal years.

What was decided and next steps

The council approved the Stantec services agreement and authorized the city manager and city attorney to negotiate and sign the contract, including any needed revisions that reduce the contract price. Staff will confirm whether any map sections were duplicated in Stantec's packet and, if so, seek a corresponding price reduction. The surveys and data collection are scheduled to begin in the September window; permitting will proceed afterward and may take years before the project is shovel-ready.

Ending

Council members said they will reallocate $75,000 from the Nix Park line and consider moving equipment budget funds if needed to fully cover the project while preserving park planning for a later date. City staff will notify Stantec after approval to lock in schedules and finalize contract details.