Monday’s city commission meeting saw commissioners commit to improving service performances around town.
City commissioners had a hefty consent agenda Monday evening that inevitably helps keep the city up-to-date.
Most of the items are designed to improve the city’s service performances and will be replacing aging equipment.
Commissioners agreed to purchase two replacement generators for Utilities Maintenance using funds already included in this fiscal year’s budget. The generators will replace the two current ones, which Utilities said have “exceeded their useful life.” The generators are used to provide auxiliary power for the City’s sewage lift and well stations.
Using a Florida Sheriff’s Association Bid the city will purchase the two new generators from Tradewinds Power Corp. The total purchase price is at $110,122.
The city is also purchasing a new digester pontoon for its Water Reclamation Facility. The facility uses pontoons in process digester tanks to support mechanical aeration. Over time, the equipment wears down and the current pontoons have “outlived their useful life,” according to the report.
“Without mechanical aeration, the sludge would not process properly and cause severe odors,” the report read.
So the city sought bids and four came in for the job, ranging from $53,154 to $100,466. Commissioners agreed to award the bid for a new digester pontoon to Mechanical Industrial Services, Inc. for $53,154. The funds were available in the Water/Sewer Fund.
One of the items approved for purchase was a 2021 Custom Ambulance with all necessary options. Fire Rescue requested the city replace its 2005 Ford Ambulance, which currently has 100,000 miles. The new ambulance is is available on the Florida Sheriffs Association Bid.
Commissioners agreed to authorize the purchase, which costs $225,059 using the Florida Sheriffs Association Bid. It will take approximately five months to build the ambulance.
Outside of the items approved for purchase, commissioners also agreed to authorize the renovation of Fire Station 2. The current budget includes funding for the renovation and will tackle some long-awaited changes for the site. The renovation will take place within the 5,100 square feet of living space and includes improvements to the kitchen, bathrooms, dayroom, offices, apparatus bay and fitness area. It also will reconfigure the dorms to accommodate workforce changes.
“This should be the last of the renovations,” City Manager Bill McDaniel said. “We had our old leaky roof that was addressed recently and over the years there have been minor repairs and alterations, but not a significant renovation. It’s still essentially the same as it was when it was built. It’s definitely in need of it… I’d have to take a guess on the exact number, but a third of our firefighting force, over three shifts use this facility, so this is going to have a major impact for our force.”
Bids were published on Aug. 27 and 10 were received on Oct. 1, ranging from $328,588 to $577,108. The city determined D-Mar General Contracting & Development had the lowest bid received with a price of $328,588 and commissioners agreed to authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with D-Mar General Contracting & Development, LLC. for the service.
