St. Johns County commissioners direct competitive review of Merrill Brothers biosolids plan amid odor, cost and transparency concerns

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners voted to accept an unsolicited proposal from Merrill Brothers and directed staff to conduct a competitive procurement process to evaluate an indoor biosolids treatment facility intended to replace or supplement the county's current outdoor composting operations.

Jamie Lockley, the county purchasing director, opened the briefing by noting the proposal was submitted under Florida statute 255.065 and met the county's procedural requirements for unsolicited proposals. Merrill Brothers' executives Dustin Smith and Blake Merrill described a solar-thermal, indoor pasteurization system they operate elsewhere and said it would reduce odors, provide a “pasteurized” end product for sale and reduce the county's dependence on distant disposal outlets.

"We're proposing a solar thermal pasteurization solution, an indoor facility that dries and pasteurizes biosolids using greenhouse and oven systems," Merrill said, describing what he called a lower-maintenance, lower-failure technology compared with large rotary dryers. He said Merrill handles about 30% of the state's biosolids volume and that the county's combined utilities produce roughly 46,700 wet tons today; the facility would be sized to treat 50,000 wet tons.

Commissioners and staff pressed Merrill on cost and scope. The company's materials listed a construction estimate near $34.6 million, while a county-commissioned technical memorandum cited a higher contingency-level estimate of about $54 million. Utilities director Veil Shinde told the board the consultant had used high contingency percentages for a master-planning estimate and that the county had internal estimates nearer to $37 million.

Commissioner Krista Joseph and several residents pressed for a public hearing and competitive bids before the county committed funds or land. "This is a major change for our utility and our county-owned property; the public needs a full vetting and multiple proposals," Commissioner Joseph said. Several speakers from the nearby Morgans Cove neighborhood said they have lived with offensive odors for years and urged expedited remedial action. Resident Nicole Crosby and others who oppose quickly accepting a single vendor asked the board to solicit alternatives and provide clearer capital and operating cost projections.

Merrill representatives said the proposed location would be the Indian Head property and that the company anticipates the county would own the site while Merrill would design, build, operate and be bonded for performance. They said out-of-county importing of biosolids would decline over time as the county's own capacity increased, and that the indoor design uses negative-pressure receiving bays and carbon filtration to control odors.

Commissioner Christian Whitehurst moved to accept the unsolicited proposal and direct staff to issue a competitive procurement (a progressive design-build approach that selects technology first and solicits competitive inputs). The motion passed unanimously.

Next steps outlined by staff include 60-day solicitation windows and negotiations on an interim agreement that would set parameters for any comprehensive long-term contract. The board's decision does not bind the county to the specific terms contained in Merrill's packet; it advances the county to a formal review and competitive process.

What comes next: staff will prepare solicitation materials and return to the board with a recommended procurement timeline and any negotiated interim-agreement terms. Residents asked for more public hearings and independent cost verification before any capital commitment.