Commission approves Taylor Dairy water treatment project after debate over alternatives and costs

The Saint Lucie County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve Amendment No. 2 to the construction manager-at-risk contract for the Taylor Dairy water treatment plant on Jan. 7, 2025, despite calls from some commissioners to delay the decision so Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA) could finish a cost/pricing study.

The motion to approve passed with one recorded dissent. Commissioner Clasby voted against the measure; the remainder of the board voted in favor.

County utilities staff and the project manager described the plant as the county's long-planned response to growing demand and expiring bulk-water agreements. Utilities staff said the county has already invested approximately $80 million in the utility expansion program, including $24 million for a previous industrial plant and $34 million from ARP funds, plus an $50 million line of credit and an $18 million contract awarded for the deep-well work. Utilities Director Landry told the board that site clearing, gopher tortoise relocation, raw-water wells and fencing were already under way and that pausing the project now would risk losing contractor mobilization and add costs.

Opponents on the board and some members of the public argued the county should wait the four months FPUA requested to complete a consultant study that might offer lower bulk-water rates. Commissioner Clasby said a pause ''would give time to compare providing water through bulk purchases to investing tens of millions of dollars in new county infrastructure.

Landry and other staff countered that county negotiators had repeatedly tried to obtain a better bulk-water deal from FPUA and the City of Port St. Lucie for years, and that delaying now could leave the county without leverage when the current bulk agreement expires. He noted the Taylor Dairy plant still must undergo commissioning and testing (which may take months) and that delaying construction could threaten the county's ability to commission the plant before the expiration of existing agreements.

The board's brief recorded vote followed discussion and repeated questions about alternatives and timing. The approval allows staff to proceed with the contract amendment and continue site work.

The board did not adopt a longer pause or require a comparative cost report before proceeding; a motion to table the item for four months failed to gain majority support.

Ending: Utilities staff said they would continue to engage with FPUA and other regional utilities, and that the county expects to move forward with construction and the commissioning process.