Port Richey council OKs mayor reimbursements, funds fire‑station feasibility study and fleet purchase; directs interim city‑manager search

Port Richey City Council members approved several administrative and procurement actions and discussed long‑running infrastructure priorities in a meeting that also included public comments from residents who said recent storms damaged homes.

The council voted to reimburse Mayor John H. Hubert for legal costs from two matters and approved contracting for a fire‑station feasibility study and a replacement utility pickup for the fire department. Council members also directed staff to begin recruitment for an interim city manager and to solicit proposals from executive search firms for a permanent replacement.

The reimbursements followed two separate requests from Hubert after ethics and recall-related matters. Council approved reimbursement of $2,192.50 for attorney fees the mayor incurred defending an ethics complaint; Mayor Hubert abstained from that vote. Council later approved reimbursement of $1,137.50 for legal work tied to a recall threat. The council also approved a motion to pay the mayor’s attorney directly for the approved amounts.

The council approved a request to contract for a fire‑station feasibility and site study through a piggyback of Pasco County’s procurement (Fleischman Garcia Maslowski was the recommended firm), authorizing negotiations of an agreement not to exceed $35,000. The study will evaluate building size, bay configuration, access and flood‑resilient design options and include community outreach. Council had previously budgeted funds in the capital plan for station planning.

Separately, the council approved the purchase of a 2025 Ford F‑250 for the fire department, to be used as a utility/response vehicle and to tow the city’s air and water rescue trailers. Staff said the vehicle is budgeted in the five‑year capital plan and comes from a cooperative purchasing contract.

Council also approved surplus and disposal of impounded vehicles that had been in the police impound lot for at least 90 days and authorized sending them to auction through the vendor identified by the police department.

Council members discussed several infrastructure topics in detail during the meeting. - Dredging engineering study: Staff sought and received council consensus to proceed with hiring an engineering firm to study canal dredging needs and to scope permitting and funding options. Staff told council the study cost to develop the initial scope was estimated roughly between $90,000 and $120,000, and that the council had appropriated $200,000 in the budget as a starting fund for dredging work. Staff also discussed potential state and federal funding sources, including county Community Development Block Grant programs and Army Corps programs. - Utilities and stormwater operations: Utilities/Public Works Director Darryl Rose briefed the council on staffing and workload. Rose said utilities personnel had completed roughly 1,600 work orders since October and public‑works had completed about 600 items; he described new stormwater positions and ongoing work to replace meters and stabilize water loss. Rose said the city had not needed to purchase external water since recent storms because the system remained operational. Staff also reported that engineers are preparing a pilot system for the design of a new water treatment plant. - Lift stations and flood resilience: Staff said FEMA, state appropriations and Army Corps funding requests are in progress to acquire lift‑station generators and to raise the elevation of key pump stations; four generators were reported as funded and elevation work was being pursued through multiple funding streams. - Mobile home park ownership discovery: Council gave consensus direction to the city attorney to file a bill of discovery to compel ownership information for individual mobile homes at Holiday Mobile Home Park after staff said the property owner had not provided owners’ names to the city and many units were substantially damaged in storms.

Council also directed the city attorney to draft a revision to the municipal golf‑cart code so it aligns with the relevant Florida statutes on equipment, and to permit golf‑cart travel on city streets with posted speeds at or below 35 mph (and on county roads within city limits where permitted). Council approved that direction by motion.

On administration, City Manager Matthew Koeffler told council he will leave in about 45 days. Council approved adding a city‑manager transition discussion to the agenda and directed staff to post an interim city‑manager position and to solicit proposals from executive search firms for a permanent replacement. Council asked staff to prepare a plan so an interim could begin work as soon as possible and for options to be presented at the next meeting.

Public comment included several residents who described storm damage and property‑permit problems. Jessica Franda said she was a flood victim and described difficulties with demolition and building‑permit timelines after multiple hurricanes. Resident Bill Stevens spoke about the detached garage at 5106 Limestone Drive and urged flexibility in design that matches neighborhood patterns. Volunteer organizer Danny Fields thanked the council and city departments for recent community events and urged continued partnerships between faith groups and the city.

The meeting concluded with direction to follow up on dredging, water‑plant pilot testing, lift‑station elevation funding and the city‑manager recruitment timeline.

Votes at a glance: - Reimburse Mayor John H. Hubert $2,192.50 for defense of an ethics complaint — motion approved; mayor abstained from vote. - Reimburse Mayor John H. Hubert $1,137.50 for legal work related to a failed recall petition — motion approved. - Direct staff to pay the mayor’s attorney directly for the approved legal fees — motion approved. - Approve surplus and auction of 10 impounded vehicles — motion approved. - Approve piggyback procurement for a fire‑station feasibility study and authorize the city manager and city attorney to negotiate a contract not to exceed $35,000 — motion approved. - Approve purchase of a 2025 Ford F‑250 for the fire department under Sourcewell cooperative pricing — motion approved. - Direct city attorney to revise municipal golf‑cart code to align with state statute and allow golf carts on city streets at or below 35 mph (and county roads within city limits where allowed) — motion approved. - Add “city manager transition discussion” to the agenda and direct staff to begin interim recruitment and executive search process for a permanent city manager — motion approved.

Council members present: Mayor John H. Hubert; Vice Mayor Chris Mayer; Councilman David Mueller; Councilman Robert Hubbard; Councilwoman Lisa Burke.

Ending: Staff said it will bring the fire‑station contract and dredging engineer scope back for council consideration at the next meeting and that the water‑treatment pilot will arrive soon to inform plant design.