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Commission agrees to add Basin 10 stormwater funding for a vote after residents urge reserve use
Summary
After residents urged using reserves to advance Haley & Ward’s Basin 10 design, the commission voted 4–1 to add a binding item to unfinished business enabling a future vote on using reserves or other funds for design and engineering.
Residents and engineers pressed the Melbourne Beach Town Commission to start design work on flood-prone Basin 10, and the commission agreed to add an item to unfinished business so the body can vote on using reserve funds or current-year dollars for the initial design.
Eric Sander, a resident who said he attended a recent special meeting on Basin 10, described continuing flooding and told commissioners he would like the town to find room in this year’s budget or use reserves for Haley & Ward’s initial design work. "I would like to motion or ask the commission to vote on using either funds found this year or reserve for Haley Ward's design proposal for Basin 10," Sander said during public comment.
Commission discussion followed: staff and public works reported they had located historical contracts and measured pipe in the field; public-works staff cautioned that some past Basin work was executed as change orders and that original engineering and past change orders contributed to later problems. Tom Davis, identified in the roll call as public works director and speaking later in the meeting, described finding the older contracts and change‑order history.
A motion to add an item to unfinished business that would permit a later vote passed 4–1 after a second; commissioners said the added item will allow the commission to consider a funding vote once staff prepares the required documentation. The chair said the new item would be listed as 'd' in unfinished business and would follow public comment in the amended agenda.
Town staff said they would coordinate with the town attorney to determine whether any claim against prior contractors or engineers is viable before applicable statutes of limitation run out; the commission asked staff to assemble the documents and cost estimates to support any vote on using reserves.
Quotes and attributions in this article come from transcript speakers who identified themselves during public comment and the town’s staff presentation. The commission did not adopt policy language during this meeting beyond placing the funding request on the amended agenda for a future vote.
