Fort Pierce postpones Little Jim’s flood-mitigation contract after commissioners seek cost breakdown and liability details

The City Commission of Fort Pierce on Monday moved consideration of a lump‑sum construction contract to Feb. 18 for flood‑proofing the city‑owned building used by Little Jim and Bait and Tackle after commissioners urged staff to separate the flood mitigation costs from repairs tied to unpermitted work.

The contract under consideration would have engaged Remnant Construction LLC, Fort Pierce, to implement an engineered flood mitigation plan for the nonresidential structure. City staff and commissioners said the work is intended to protect the building and allow faster post‑disaster repairs once an engineer certifies the mitigation to state and federal authorities.

The commission’s action came after roughly 30 minutes of discussion about who should bear the costs for repairs related to work the building department cited as unpermitted. Public commenter Michael Jacqueline asked the commission to table or reject the item, saying the city risked paying now for improvements that future leaseholders or…