Stabins: Future of dredge project in doubt

Purchasing Director Jim Gantt is recommending the county not agree to any change order request from its Hernando Beach dredge consultant that exceeds $425,000.

That's about $369,000 less than what the Halcrow Group is requesting to finish the job.
Despite the best efforts of staff to meet a tight deadline, County Commissioner Jeff Stabins said he remains "nervous" about the future of the dredge.

"I'm afraid if we don't get the permits in time, the state will require that they get their funds back and that will stop the project," Stabins said. "I hope I am wrong, but I am a very logical person and I am very concerned about this project."

Gantt, appointed last week as the lead negotiator in the contract negotiations with Halcrow, determined that $425,000 would cover the costs of additional seagrass mitigation.
He recommends that other costs submitted by Halcrow be denied because they are covered under existing contractual requirements.

Halcrow recently submitted two change orders totaling $794,130 to complete operations at Hernando Beach.

The first change order was for $634,300. In a memo, Halcrow said it needs the extra money to complete on-site seagrass mitigation and to institute a series of de-watering systems mandated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

In a separate request, Halcrow is asking for $159,830 to cover the costs of seagrass monitoring.
Gantt said he will send his recommendation to the county attorney's office, Department of Public Works, finance department and administrator's office for review.
Pending any changes, Halcrow will be formally notified, he said.

Given the setbacks and the potential loss of state funding for this much-delayed dredge project, the county doesn't have much time to review the change order requests.

Department of Public Works Director Susan Goebel hopes the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) will give the go-ahead to restart Hernando Beach dredge operations by March 1, enough time to finish the project by June 30.

The state has threatened to withhold its matching funds if the $7.7 million project isn't finished in June.
The dredging part of the project is 6 percent complete, Goebel said last week. The overall project, which includes disposal containment sites and pipe work, is 37 percent finished, she said.

The project ground to a halt after DEP asked for a detailed plan for monitoring and adjusting the amount of turbidity (water clarity) in water treatment operations.
Other concerns had to do with the disposal of on-site sludge.