Council approves sewer lining, engineering contracts and starts budget season with CIP update

The West Melbourne City Council approved a series of routine but budget-significant actions on contracts, project agreements and the city’s five-year capital improvement plan during the Feb. 4 meeting.

On maintenance and repairs, staff recommended and council authorized the city manager to award the annual sewer gravity main lining contract to Interform (through a cooperative Omnia purchasing contract) for a not-to-exceed amount of $238,527.85. Public works staff said the work this year covers about 3,509 linear feet of gravity main and continues a program the city has used for nearly two decades.

The council also authorized continuing services agreements for professional engineering by three firms that responded to a city RFQ: Dewberry Engineers Inc., McNabb Miller Hydrogeologic Consulting, and Kimley-Horn. Those continuing service contracts will allow staff to issue task orders for design and specialty work as needed.

On utility infrastructure, council approved a contract award for well-site construction to Florida Design Drilling following evaluation of bids. The staff recommendation asked authorization of a contract not to exceed an amount reported in the meeting record; staff said the low bidder met qualifications and the bid was below the engineer’s estimate. (The contract amount as announced in the transcript should be verified from the official contract documents before publishing.)

The council approved a formal maintenance/turnback agreement that delineates which segments of the Ellis Road project will be maintained by the City of West Melbourne, the City of Melbourne and Brevard County after the state-financed construction is complete. Staff said the agreement clarifies maintenance boundaries in advance of construction and will be recorded so each jurisdiction understands long-term responsibilities.

Council also rescheduled its April meeting from April 1 to April 2 to accommodate the Supervisor of Elections’ use of city facilities for a state special primary election.

On planning and budgeting, the council approved the annual update to the comprehensive plan’s capital improvements element (ordinance 2025-03) on first reading and set a public hearing and second reading later in February as required by statute. The update lists major capital projects across general government, parks, water, sewer and transportation and includes planning-level budgets and timing for the water treatment plant, well sites, sewer upgrades and transportation projects.

Votes at a glance

- Annual sanitary sewer main lining: award to Interform (Omnia cooperative), $238,527.85 — approved (motion carried). - Continuing professional engineering services: contracts with Dewberry Engineers Inc., McNabb Miller Hydrogeologic Consulting, Kimley-Horn — approved. - Well-site construction contract: recommended award to Florida Design Drilling; staff recommended authorization to execute a contract with the lowest qualified bidder (contract amount as reported in the meeting transcript should be confirmed in bid documents) — approved. - Off-system construction/maintenance agreement (Ellis Road project): agreement to clarify maintenance boundaries among DOT, county and cities — approved. - Reschedule April 1 council meeting to April 2 (special primary election): approved. - Ordinance 2025-03 (annual CIP update): approved on first reading; public hearing and second reading scheduled.

Ending

Staff will return to council with contract paperwork, task orders under the continuing services agreements, and the second reading/public hearing on the CIP ordinance. Officials asked that the well-site construction contract amount be verified in the contract documents before publication of final figures.