North Port EOC funding and location draw scrutiny as commissioners weigh alternatives and budget risk

City staff and commissioners spent an extended portion of the Oct. 6 North Port City Commission workshop reviewing a planned Emergency Operations Center (EOC), funding shortfalls and whether to colocate the EOC with other city needs such as a future police headquarters.

City staff presented a project that has reached guaranteed maximum price (GMP) stage and described available funding and a remaining gap for fixtures, furnishings and equipment. Project manager testimony showed the city could cover the immediate construction deficit to break ground by reallocating building fund and surtax balances, but that an additional roughly $900,000 in FF&E remains to be secured; staff said they would pursue state appropriations. Project materials and multiple speakers framed the larger project cost in the neighborhood of $13 million for a hardened, year-round EOC.

Deputy Fire Chief Nick Herlihy urged the commission to view the EOC as a public-safety priority: “It is absolutely a need,” he said, recounting operational challenges after recent storms when the temporary EOC setup required hours of IT and logistics work. Emergency Manager Stacy Locio also outlined the EOC’s functions, telling commissioners the site would provide backup power, communications, GIS and a joint information center to support response and recovery operations.

Several commissioners questioned whether the EOC should remain on the planned City Center site next to Fire Station 81 or be reconsidered for other city-owned property, including the parcel previously identified for a police headquarters. Commissioner Langdon proposed exploring whether consolidating certain functions could reduce overall program costs; other commissioners asked staff to examine tradeoffs such as security, site elevation (evacuation levels), parking needs and whether redesigns would forfeit existing design work and require new bids.

Staff noted that the current EOC design is shovel-ready, with design and permitting largely complete, and that GMP bids are held for a limited time: a significant delay would likely require a rebid and risk higher costs during further inflation. The city manager and project staff offered to return with additional information about options, including whether the facility could help absorb space needs from other departments to reduce net campus footprint.

No formal vote or appropriation occurred; commissioners asked staff to return with more detailed cost comparisons, clarification on potential site alternatives, and options to leverage existing project funding while addressing public-safety and long-term capital priorities.