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Council moves to bid three‑year mangrove trimming contract; staff proposes using disaster reimbursement funds
Summary
Council directed staff to proceed with a public bid for a three‑year mangrove trimming contract, with pricing requested year‑by‑year; staff recommended using hurricane reimbursement and disaster relief funds to cover initial years while integrating a recurring budget line for maintenance.
The Port Richey City Council on Tuesday authorized staff to proceed with a public bid for a three‑year mangrove trimming contract and discussed how to fund the work without disrupting the adopted budget.
Staff told the council they received three informal quotes as a planning estimate (quoted totals were approximately $130,000, $135,000 and $255,000) and recommended bidding a contract broken into annual prices so the city could budget the first year immediately and plan for follow‑on years. "So that's what we're going to ask — three‑year contracts to do those two particular [areas]," a procurement representative said.
To avoid displacing other budgeted items, staff proposed using hurricane reimbursement funds from Hurricane Milton (roughly $164,000 reported) and disaster relief funds (reported amounts approximating $65,000–$66,000 in available funds) to cover the initial year and portion of follow‑on years. "We could do it upfront, or we still have this money and we carry this money through three years," the city manager said.
Council members emphasized that bidders must show relevant certifications. Several council members asked that the request for proposals require a Florida‑certified mangrove trimmer (FDEP listing) and evidence of prior mangrove trimming work. Staff confirmed the bid package will require certification and will itemize specific locations so the council can prioritize within budget constraints.
Council discussed long‑term maintenance, with staff recommending that mangrove trimming be a recurring budget item rather than an infrequent, expensive remediation. "This is going to be an ongoing maintenance thing that should just be embedded into the budget," a council member said.
Staff said they will post formal bid documents for a 30‑day public solicitation, itemize locations (Waterfront Park, Brasher Park, Bembs Court, Bay Park, and the Old Post Road corridor) and return to council with bid results and a recommended award.
