Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Riviera Beach council clears financing steps and construction contract for new police headquarters
Loading...
Summary
After months of debate over location and cost, the Riviera Beach City Council approved a reimbursement bond resolution and unanimously authorized a design‑build guaranteed maximum price with Core Construction to deliver a new police headquarters, while setting aside other capital allocations for later review.
The Riviera Beach City Council on March 4 approved initial financing steps and a design‑build contract intended to advance construction of a new police headquarters at 1621 West Blue Heron Boulevard.
Council approved a reimbursement bond resolution authorizing staff to pursue up to $60 million in public‑improvement revenue bonds to cover the police headquarters shortfall and related projects. The council then unanimously approved a comprehensive agreement with Core Construction and a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) within the contract to move into construction planning.
The vote followed a lengthy debate about how much of the proposed borrowing to assign to specific projects. Mayor Douglas Lawson and a majority of council members argued the city needed to secure funding now to avoid further escalation in construction costs and to keep the police project on schedule; Councilmember Bruce Guyton and Chairperson Tim Miller Anderson dissented on the initial, broader allocations and later negotiated narrower assignments. The council left $22 million identified for the police station and $19.5 million for street reconstruction while marking remaining lines unassigned for future decision.
"This police department is imperative," Mayor Douglas Lawson said, urging colleagues to approve the financing so staff could proceed. Chief Michael Coleman, the police chief, described operational gaps the new facility is intended to close, including consolidated operations, evidence storage and an indoor training/firing range, and said the department has reduced violent crime in the city in recent years. "Your money will be well spent," Coleman said.
City staff explained the reimbursement resolution does not immediately create debt but clears the path for later bond issuance and allows the city to reimburse itself for project costs incurred in preparation. Chief financial officer Randy Schirminger told the council the city’s bonding capacity and expected impact‑fee revenue made the $60 million authorization manageable without a new tax: "We don’t have to raise any new revenue," he said, noting impact fees and other non‑ad valorem revenues would be used to service most of the debt.
The design‑build contract authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute the comprehensive agreement with Core Construction Services Inc., with funding stated as $30 million from voter‑approved referendum bonds and up to $20 million from the public improvement revenue bonds. The council approved the contract and GMP by unanimous roll call.
Council members asked staff to return with more detailed, itemized cost and schedule information for the remaining projects before the city issues bonds. The council also directed staff to keep other capital allocations flexible and to bring back specific project recommendations and cost estimates before reallocating the unassigned funds.
What’s next: staff will finalize GMP paperwork with Core Construction and continue preparing bond documents. The council scheduled follow‑up budget and CIP amendments and separate hearings that will identify final project lists and exact funding allocations before any bonds are sold.
