How the Town of Indialantic contracts for engineering projects came under scrutiny Wednesday night when the Town Council voted 3-1 (Mayor Dave Berkman was absent) to award a $3 million storm sewer replacement contract to Melbourne-based BSE Consultants.
The deal struck a raw nerve with some of the approximately 20 people in the council chambers. The project wasn’t the problem. How the contract was awarded was a different story.
Town Manager Christopher Chinault noted the condition of some drainage pipes in the town. “We’ve seen in some cases where a pipe collapses,” he told council. “If a pipe fails under a driveway that’s one thing. It’s a much bigger problem if it fails underneath a road.”
He proposed a voter referendum that would take place by mail. “Take that money, use it for improving the drainage pipes in the streets,” Chinault said.
“That would be our primary focus. From a secondary standpoint we would look at the pipes. Those are the pipes that go to the outfalls (into the Indian River Lagoon).”
Carl Junco, who identified himself as a long-time contractor, asked Chinault about the town’s process for awarding contracts.
“I find it hard to believe the state process allows you to do a sole source bid for projects,” he noted. “Or for anything.”
Chinault replied, “You don’t bid on money, you bid on process.”
“Do we compete for services in regard to storm drainage?” Junco asked. “It’s bad policy for this town and the taxpayers to spend my money without competing for whatever services are sought.”
Larry Maxwell rose to the public podium three times, saying he was baffled by the process, though he agreed it’s past time for a stormwater solution.
“It is desirable to move forward, but the bond alone, according to the town attorney, is at least $25,000. The cost is between $25,000 and maybe $45,000 before we have any idea of what we want to do,” Maxwell added. “In the past, when these measures were broad and open-ended as described by the town manager, they almost always fail with the voters. The voters want to know exactly what you want to do, and exactly what it’s going to cost. The urgency is here, but it’s not so urgent that you can’t take a few months to do a proper study.
“If you do this wrong, you will own this. If you do this right, you will own this.”
Later, Maxwell pointed out what he felt was the crux of the issue. “Since 1991 this town has not bothered to go out and ask for qualifications from other firms. And saying they would have to re-do the work BSE has done is totally incorrect.”
BSE’s website notes that is has been “Serving as Indialantic’s engineer since 1989.”
“A continuing contract for 28 years would be awesome,” Maxwell pressed. “But at the same time, I don’t think I’d want a continuing contract for 28 years because at some point it looks like what we have is fraud going on.”
Councilwoman Mary Jo Kilcullen cast the lone dissenting vote. She also got the last word over her male colleagues, who generally ignored her during the meeting.
“I am kind of saddened that this was put under new business,” she said. “People should be qualified for a job to get it. This isn’t the first time this has happened. This is an ongoing thing. And council doesn’t want to hear what I have to say. It’s become really old-hat. Just. Grow. Up.”
