Commission approves $2.16 million service agreement for roof repairs; staff outlines capital projects

The Saint Pete Beach City Commission on March 25 approved a service agreement with Cotton Global Disaster Solutions for $2,155,702.81 to repair city facilities damaged in recent hurricanes and authorized the city manager to execute the agreement before the city’s emergency procurement authority lapse.

City Manager Brianna Robustelli read the request into the record, saying she asked the commission “to approve a service agreement with Cotton Global Disaster Solutions in the amount of $2,155,702.81 for various city facility repairs damaged by Hurricane Milton, and authorize the city manager to execute the service agreement.” Robustelli said staff has worked with Cotton Global on mitigation, damage assessment, FEMA site inspections, insurance coordination and construction scopes since October.

Why it matters: Restoring municipal buildings before the next hurricane season reduces further damage risk and re-establishes city service operations. Robustelli told the commission the repairs are insured and staff will pursue insurance reimbursements first, then FEMA for remaining costs.

The city manager said the contract covers roof repairs to multiple facilities and that the total presented in the contract is $2,155,702.81. She said the roofs will be replaced using stronger materials and that the public-services roof height will be raised over service bays consistent with a FY25 capital improvement design. The presentation noted remaining insurance and FEMA processes and staff’s intent to pursue reimbursements.

Commissioner questions focused on why metal roofing that resembles barrel tile was selected, whether lower-cost flat metal options had been estimated and how much the city would be required to advance pending insurance reimbursements. City staff said Cotton Global was already engaged for mitigation and assessment work and under the existing executive order for emergency procurement a competitive bid was not required at this time.

Commissioner discussion ended with a motion to approve the service agreement; the vote was recorded as unanimous by roll call. The commission’s approval came after staff emphasized the urgency of contracting before the executive-order expiration date to avoid delays ahead of the next hurricane season.

Staff also used the meeting to give a longer overview of capital and infrastructure projects. Camden Mills, public services director, described roofing cost estimates nearing finalization and additional work in design or procurement for Fire Station 22, Mary Pier Bait Shack and the Shuffleboard Club (both condemned and under historical-review processes), seawall replacements (30 Sixth Avenue), dune walkovers, Gulfway beach wall replacement, pool resurfacing at the community center, Eagan Park soil sampling for potential debris-management use, lawn/irrigation repairs, Lazarillo Park lighting replacement, alleyway reconstruction (Seventh & Eighth), Gulf Boulevard undergrounding (phase 1 construction underway and phase 2 in design), stormwater outfall improvements (Bella Vista and Don CeSar neighborhoods), lift-station rehabilitation and temporary control panel demobilization at wastewater facilities.

Mills said bids and contracting are underway or imminent for as-needed seawall repairs, concrete/brick/mortar replacement, asphalt patching and an on-call engineering consultant contract. He also flagged the Pump Station 1 rehabilitation as tied to a $2 million state job-growth grant and said the city will request reimbursement from the state in early April for owner-purchased equipment.

Ending: The commission approved the Cotton Global service agreement by roll call and directed staff to continue working through insurance and FEMA reimbursement steps while advancing planned CIP procurements.