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Daytona Beach Shores approves $2.45 million in sewer design work, applies for federal hazard-mitigation funds and okays emergency pump purchase
Summary
The City Commission approved a package of actions on June 3 to design three sewer resiliency projects (totaling about $2.45 million in design costs), authorized staff to pursue a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant application, and approved an emergency purchase to replace a failed pump at Station 5.
The Daytona Beach Shores City Commission on June 3 approved a series of sewer-related measures: a budget amendment to fund engineering design for three projects, authorization to apply for federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMPG) funds, approval of a sanitary sewer design contract, and an emergency purchase of a replacement pump for a critical lift station.
City staff said the measures are intended to make the city’s aging sewer system more resilient and to make the projects shovel-ready for grant funding. Finance Director Lori Erwin told commissioners the commission is being asked to appropriate design funds now so the city can apply promptly for grants as they become available.
City staff described three discrete design tasks: master pump station work (design cost cited as about $975,792), force-main upgrades (about $1,398,103) and manhole and retrofit work north of Dunlawton (about $77,391). Director Erwin said those items together were presented as a total design package the commission was being asked to fund — the figures discussed during the meeting produced a total design-dollar figure of about $2,451,287. Erwin also said the sewer fund currently holds roughly $3.98 million in cash and roughly $8.9 million in short-term Treasury holdings, and that staff had budgeted $2.392 million across the current and next fiscal year for these efforts; the requested additional draw from sewer reserves was described as approximately $58,888.
Commissioners also approved a resolution authorizing staff to submit an application to FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for sewer improvements and retrofits north of Dunlawton. City staff said the application request would total roughly $5,378,000 and that FEMA typically requires a 25% local match. Erwin said the city hoped to secure roughly $3.4 million specifically for manhole and retrofit work, but noted grant awards were not guaranteed and that Volusia County had recently seen an announced reduction in available federal mitigation funds.
Separately, staff asked the commission to approve a sanitary sewer design contract so the city would be “shovel ready” when grant solicitations open. The commission approved the contract and the design authorization in the same meeting vote.
In an emergency item related to the same system, Community Service Director Stuart Cruz told the commission that one pump at Station 5 (on Cheshire Road) failed and requires replacement. Cruz said the station — originally installed in February 2004 — serves a broad area, moving sewage from roughly the 2000 block through the 2900 block. He said staff considered rebuilding the unit (estimated at about $102,000) but recommended purchasing a new pump (price a little above $129,000) because the existing pump had been rebuilt several times and the station’s continuous reliability is critical. The commission approved the emergency purchase.
All of the sewer-related votes were unanimous 5-0.
Commission discussion emphasized two themes: (1) the need to have projects fully designed so the city can apply quickly for federal grants (commissioners repeatedly used the phrase “shovel ready”), and (2) that the sewer fund is separate from the general fund and currently maintains cash and short-term investments sufficient to support the proposed design work, according to staff.
Staff said some equipment and parts were salvaged from a previously damaged apparatus and that contract language for design procurement includes factory inspection trips for certain purchases, where applicable.
The commission’s approvals allow staff to proceed with design contracts, to submit the HMPG application, and to proceed with immediate pump replacement work. Further grant application outcomes and construction-phase approvals would return to commission for separate votes.
Ending: The commission’s actions put the city in position to pursue multiple grant opportunities and address an immediate operational risk at Station 5; officials said the next steps will be contracting for design and completing the HMPG application process.
