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Commission punts $266,000 flood‑mitigation contract for Little Jim to RFP process, approves lease addendum
Summary
After hours of public comment defending the historic Little Jim site, the Fort Pierce commission voted to reject a direct $266,048 contractor award and instead fold required flood‑mitigation work into the forthcoming operator RFP; commissioners also approved a signed month‑to‑month lease addendum making the current operator responsible for portable restroom costs.
The Fort Pierce City Commission voted on Feb. 18 to move the city’s planned $266,048 flood‑mitigation contract for the Little Jim Bait & Tackle building into the upcoming request‑for‑proposals (RFP) for an operator, rather than awarding a lump‑sum contract to Remnant Construction LLC.
Commissioner Johnson moved — and Commissioner Broderick seconded — a motion to not approve the lump‑sum construction contract (Bid 2024004) and instead require flood mitigation be included in the Little Jim RFP. The motion carried on a roll call vote with Commissioners Broderick, Gaines and Johnson voting yes; Commissioner Taylor abstained and Mayor Hudson voted yes.
The decision followed public comment from local business owners, longtime residents and construction professionals who urged preserving the site’s character while pointing to technical or sequencing questions about FEMA mitigation triggers, lift‑station capacity and the RFP timeline. Building official Paul Thomas and staff told the commission a flood‑mitigation plan has been prepared and that federal FEMA rules require mitigation when a commercial structure is found to be substantially damaged (50% threshold) and that mitigation must be addressed to preserve eligibility for federal assistance.
Several commissioners said their preference was to shift the $266,048 mitigation expense to an incoming private operator as part of the RFP so taxpayers would not underwrite a for‑profit tenant. Commissioner Broderick said the city had been underwriting temporary restrooms and some insurance costs and that shifting mitigation responsibilities to respondents would narrow bidders to those financially capable of completing the work.
Separately, the commission approved Resolution 25‑R‑14, a signed lease addendum that moves the current operator to a month‑to‑month tenancy and clarifies the operator will bear all costs and maintenance for the portable restroom facilities going forward (the city had been paying roughly $7,600 per month). The addendum keeps the current rent at $2,600 per month, establishes a 90‑day notice period tied to the city’s timeline, and states the tenant waives prior reimbursement claims. City staff committed to provide updated insurance certificates to the commission by the end of the week.
The commission and staff said the RFP will incorporate the flood‑mitigation plan (and related permitting and code compliance) so that any selected bidder must meet mitigation requirements and have those obligations written into the contract or lease. Staff warned that, if mitigation is delayed, FEMA and other agencies could later disallow federal aid if the city is aware work was done without required permits. The commission emphasized they will retain authority to terminate a contract or re‑issue the RFP if a chosen bidder fails to meet negotiated mitigation terms.
Next steps: staff will finalize RFP language that includes flood‑mitigation requirements and clarify when the 90‑day notice to the current tenant will start (staff indicated that notice will be served at an operationally appropriate point, such as upon award of a contract or at the commission’s direction).
