TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Approve the Application to the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for Multiple City Lift Stations Permanent Bypass Pumps in the Estimated Amount of $2.25 Million and Authorize the City Manager or the Mayor, as Applicable Under the City Charter, to Execute all Funding Documents After Legal Review, Should the Grant be Awarded to the City of North Port.
Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve the Application to the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for Multiple City Lift Stations Permanent Bypass Pumps in the estimated amount of $2.25 Million and authorize the City Manager or the Mayor, as applicable under the City Charter, to execute all funding documents after legal review, should the Grant be awarded to the City of North Port, allowing for the project, if partially funded by the grant, to proceed on schedule.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Approve the Application to the FDEM HMGP for Multiple City Lift Stations Permanent Bypass Pumps in the estimated amount of $2.25 Million and authorize the City Manager or the Mayor, as applicable under the City Charter, to execute all funding documents after legal review, should the Grant be awarded to the City of North Port, allowing for the project, if partially funded by the grant, to proceed on schedule.
• Pros: Provides grant funds covering approximately 75% of the cost of the purchase, installation, and commissioning of permanent diesel bypass pumps for approximately 25 sanitary sewer lift stations, providing protection against property damage, environmental contamination, and public health emergencies that can occur from an overwhelmed wastewater collection network during major storm events.
• Cons: Requires a 25% match of approximately $750,000.
Option 2: Deny the Application to the FDEM HMGP for Multiple City Lift Stations Permanent Bypass Pumps in the estimated amount of $2.25 Million and authorize the City Manager or the Mayor, as applicable under the City Charter, to execute all funding documents after legal review, should the Grant be awarded to the City of North Port, allowing for the project, if partially funded by the grant, to proceed on schedule.
• Pros: Saves the City the cost of the match.
• Cons: Would require the City to fully fund the estimated $3 million total cost of purchasing, installing, and commissioning of permanent diesel bypass pumps for approximately 25 sanitary sewer lift stations, or abandon the project, thereby leaving the wastewater collection network vulnerable to major storm events and risking the safety of citizens.
Background Information
The FDEM manages the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) HMGP for the State of Florida. The grant provides funding for eligible mitigation measures that reduce future disaster losses. Hazard mitigation means any sustainable action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to people and property from future disasters. Mitigation planning breaks the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. Hazard mitigation includes long-term solutions that reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
During the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, the City of North Port experienced multiple high-impact storm events. Because of power outages and equipment failures, many of the City's sanitary sewer lift stations were offline and not able to keep up with the needs of the wastewater collection network, creating a challenge in moving raw sewage to the processing plant.
This project will allow the City of North Port to design, plan, acquire, install, test and commission 25 diesel bypass pumps in order to alleviate and mitigate past functional losses due to hurricanes, severe storms, and other flooding events. The diesel bypass pumps are intended to provide temporary backup pumping capacity during equipment repairs and emergencies at various locations across the City of North Port.
If awarded, the Grant Contract will be reviewed by the Interim City Attorney to ensure it is legally correct as to form.
Strategic Plan Pillar
Infrastructure and Facilities Integrity
Financial Impact
The potential award of $2.25 million from FDEM will also cover grant management costs of up to an additional $150,000. The City is responsible for a 25% match, estimated at $750,000. If awarded, matching funds will come from the proposed fiscal 2027 Lift Station Fortification Project / Bypass Pumps project. Work would begin in Fiscal Year 2027.
Procurement
If awarded, the City’s Procurement Code, policies and procedures will be followed when the purchases are made.
Attachments:
1. Grant Application
Prepared by: Jennifer Sadonis, Grants Coordinator
Department Director: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager