On Monday the Fort Myers Beach Town Council dismissed a bid protest from Callan Marine for the beach’s big renourishment project. The Council then awarded the contract to Ahtna Marine with the project now expected to begin next month.
The dredging renourishment project is estimated to cost around $22 million. Ahtna’s bid was $21.7 million. Callan’s bid came in way over budget at $37.2 million. Callan Marine President John Sullivan made his case Monday. He told the Town Council that Ahtna could not safely do the job and because of its smaller equipment Ahtna would take nearly a year to complete the project, not the 195 days in the bid. Sullivan said his company would complete the project in 90 days.
Sullivan also asked the Town Council to go back out and ask for the additional $15 million it would take to hire his company. He said the money could be found by asking FEMA, the state and Lee County. Having dealt with FEMA for the past 19 months Mayor Dan Allers was worried that having to go back for FEMA money would delay the project.
The town’s engineering consultant Mike Poff vouched for Ahtna and doubted Sullivan’s claims that the additional $15 million would be easy to find.
Town Attorney Becky Voss advised the Town Council that they were bound by the bid documents and by what the town’s experts tell them. In other words, despite what Sullivan was claiming, Ahtna met the requirements in the RFP the town put out. Voss said this is a contractual issue not covered by insurance. “I have no earthly idea how we would defend this. The exposure to the town would be very significant.”
In documents included in the agenda packet Poff said that Ahtna has successfully completed several dredging projects in Southwest Florida “on time and on budget.” Poff reported that there were no safety issues or environmental hazards with projects completed for Marco Island, Collier County and Lee County. “They were all highly satisfied with Ahtna’s quality of work, professionalism, and client services.”
Poff also said that the beach is “severely eroded” and the “sooner we get the sand on the beach the better.” Town staff reported that in order for the project to be completed by November 30th “to protect the community from further damage from future storms” a notice to proceed must be issued no later than Monday June 3rd. “Any delay due to this protest jeopardizes project completion.”
A conference call town staff had with Callan on May 13th did not resolve the issue which brought it to the Town Council Monday. The Town Council voted 4-0 to deny the bid protest and 4-0 to approve the contract with Ahtna (Council member Karen Woodson was absent).
The good news is that Sullivan said he would not pursue the matter any further. “If you approve the contract with Ahtna, we’re gone, we’re not going to sue you. I do believe you’re making a mistake, but we’re gone.”
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Tom said it right. We are Sand here not Stone in lee co.
I thought they could not do it during turtle/bird nesting season?
David – You’re entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts. The incorporation of Fort Myers Beach occurred in 1995. Another glaring error in regard to beach renourishment at Lovers Key. Lee County and the State have shared in that cost.
https://www.leegov.com/naturalresources/marine/beachmgmnt/LoversK
The rest of your diatribe is just hyperbole.
The documents of incorporation were signed December 31, 1995 the Town officially opened in 1996 talk about hyperbole. There is still no justification for renourishing an already accreting beach. The survey markers on the island, which have been there since 1929, show consistent accretion along the entire island. A waste of the property owners’ taxes and poor government that would rather argue over a day than addressing the real issues and costs to the constituents. John, why don’t you provide the facts that FMB IS eroding and beach renourishment IS needed before we ruin the beach and waste all this tax payer’s money. Also reduce councils term limits back down to 2 years from 4 years.
Terms were changed from 3 years to 4 about 4 years ago by the previous council. As far as I know they were never 2 but I also agree they should go back to 3.
The proposed $20 million plus beach renourishment project on FMB is dumping taxpayers’ money into the gulf. Don’t let the facts get in the way! The beach has been naturally accreting for the past century, making these Beach renourishment projects an unnecessary waste of money. The town is using the renourishment project as a ruse to secure government funding for salaries and additional jobs’ This “hoax” to spend taxpayers’ money is harmful and unnecessary on Fort Myers Beach. The question is why aren’t the environmentalists not outraged by the damage to the beach’s ecosystem and harm to Turtles during season; ask yourself why doesn’t the State of Florida renourish Cayo Costa or Lovers Key State parks right next door? Aren’t all these barrier islands eroding away as well? NO! in fact just the opposite, but ever since incorporation of FMB in 1996 our island has been critically eroding away coincidently just when federal funding started becoming available for Beach renourishment projects. It’s nothing more than a Money and Control grab by the Town’s Big spend thief councils that do not look at the facts to intelligently protect the taxpayer’s money. Unincorporate TFMB and vote out any incumbents this election.
That’s BS
Many beaches need sand Nourishment every five or six years.
Were talking about Fort Myers Beach, not all beaches.