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Hernando Today

Difference Between Dredge Sites: $2.7M

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: March 28, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - The county's back-up dredge disposal site is looking even more attractive these days - to the tune of about $2.7 million.

That's how much less it will cost to put the dredged sand and slurry - called spoil - onto a county-owned piece of land on Shoal Line Boulevard instead of property on Eagle Nest Drive owned by Brooksville's Manuel family, according to the county's consultant on the project.

The county also has a firm date for a hearing to defend the Shoal Line site against residents who say the plan would harm nearby Minnow Creek and surrounding wetlands. The hearing is set for May 19 in Brooksville.

The consultant, Halcrow Engineering, estimates the county would pay about $5.6 million to dredge and pump the material to the Shoal Line site, which once housed a wastewater treatment plant. The slurry would be run through a dewatering machine and the dried sand dispersed throughout the four-acre property.

The bill for the Eagle Nest site, on the other hand, would run to nearly $8.24 million, according to Halcrow.

One of the main reasons for the disparity is the time that would be saved in the disposal process.

On the Eagle Nest site, a raised berm will be built to store the material while the seawater leaches away. That takes longer than using the dewatering machine, which can be run continuously, County Engineer Charles Mixson said.

That means the contractor's dredging equipment would be tied up on the project in "standby" mode for much longer if the county goes with the Eagle Nest site, adding an estimated $1.25 million to the cost. The permit application to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for that site did not include the use of a dewatering machine.

The other difference between the two sites: Most of the spoil, once drained, will have to be trucked away from the Eagle Nest site. As part of the deal with the Manuels, 20,000 cubic yards will be left for fill dirt, but 30,000 cubic yards has to be moved. That would cost nearly $2 million, according to Halcrow's estimates.

While the financial advantage to the county-owned land seems clear, there is still the legal challenge from nearby residents. DEP is poised to issue the permit, but the challengers say the briny water from the slurry will upset the natural balance in Minnow Creek and nearby wetlands.

Among those challengers is Cliff Manuel of Manuel LLC, the owner of the Eagle Nest site, and his friend, Neil Law, who also owns property on the creek. Manuel maintains his site is better from an environmental perspective because it's closer to the Gulf, where the salinity levels are higher.

The Manuels have hired an attorney and could consider legal action against the county to defend the contract for the use of the property.

The Eagle Nest site also has drawn legal challenges from residents who say the plan will harm the environment and increase the risk of flooding in the area.

The county commission is expected to meet behind closed doors Tuesday with Richard Brightman, a Tallahassee attorney hired to defend the permits, to talk legal strategy. Officials have said negotiations with the Manuels aren't out of the question.

While the legal challenge presents a hurdle for the Shoal Line site, the consultant's cost estimate was encouraging news for the long-delayed project to lengthen and deepen the channel.

The county had estimated the project would cost about $9 million, with $6 million coming from the state. The county has already spent about $1 million. Halcrow's estimate - which is padded with a 10 percent for contingencies - indicates the project still has the potential to come in under budget.

The county is ready to solicit bids as soon as a permit comes through, Mixson said.

County Commission Chairman Dave Russell said he was surprised by the large disparity in the two sites but said the Shoal Line site "appears to be much more friendly for a number of reasons" if the legal hurdles can be cleared.

Russell and Mixson said the dismal economy will likely work in the county's favor in this case by keeping bids from dredge contractors low.

"There are a lot of firms looking for work right now," Russell said.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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