Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
December 6, 2016 2:19 p.m.
A 4-member city evaluation panel convened in Fernandina Beach City Commission Chambers on December 5, 2016 to rank respondents to RFQ 2016-1, which sought financial quotes from qualified firms to help the city prepare and execute documents that meet FEMA public assistance criteria for recouping funds spent to make Hurricane Matthew related repairs.
Bidders on the RFQ had already been pre-qualified under a broader government contract. The city had invited 8 firms to bid, and received two responses: Witt O’Brien’s and DMS Disaster Consultants. Panel members agreed that both firms were well qualified and on first ballot, divided equally between the firms. Both firms had extensive experience in Louisiana in obtaining assistance from FEMA after Hurricane Katrina, and each has offices in Florida. However, after discussion, panelists gave the nod to Witt O’Brien, which in its response presented what the panel determined to be the most directly related experience.
Funds expended in this contract will be reimbursed by FEMA.
Local waterfront activist Lynn Williams scolded the city for its delay in responding to repair needs at the marina. “It is shameful that we have done nothing to date and are losing $6-7,000 per day [in marina income].” Williams went on to criticize the four panel members—City Manager Dale Martin, City Attorney Tammi Bach, Comptroller Patti Clifford and Fire Chief Ty Silcox—for their lack of knowledge about marinas. “You could have asked me or Joe Springer,” he said.
Williams appeared to be under a misconception that the city was awaiting a FEMA grant before beginning repair work. But the city manager explained in a later conversation that the city will proceed to make repairs but will use the services of Witt O’Brien’s to insure that all contracts let to do the required work are consistent with city purchasing policies and meet FEMA criteria, making the city eligible to receive full or partial reimbursement from FEMA. For more information on the firm, visit its website: http://www.wittobriens.com/.
Witt O’Brien’s will not actually perform the required repairs necessary following Hurricane Matthew’s visit to Fernandina Beach.
City Attorney Bach indicated that she would prepare the contract with Witt O’Brien’s, which indicated immediate availability to begin work. No further action by the Fernandina Beach City Commission is required, as it previously approved Resolution 2016-138 authorizing the City Manager and the City Clerk to execute the contract following review by the City Attorney.
Editor’s Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne’s many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.
Williams is under no misconception about FEMA “grants”. What he objected to is four well intentioned people trying seriously to discuss a project about which they know nothing. FEMA is not a mystery, we don’t have to hire help to deal with them, We should be far better off to do it ourselves, far more likely to get it right.
The Marina work now proposed to start soon, should have been started….and finished…..weeks ago. The delay now makes the work more costly. For instance, the gangways that have been under water now for two months will be costly to clean from marine growth…barnacles etc. We could have at least brought them out of water and set them on land with city equipment the day after the storm. We may now have to replace them, and they’re expensive. The repairs we intend to make in the months ahead are minor although they will help revive the marina somewhat. And even if FEMA declined to reimburse us for them, the repairs are of such a minor sort that the additional marina income would have paid us more than we should have received from FEMA in any case, and, that amount doesn’t include the additional business the Marina throws off for downtown merchants. Westrec proposed a number of simple and relatively simple fixes immediately after the storm. We could have accomplished them within a week. As for money, there are many sources, the FIND commission, for one, agreed that we might re-purpose our grant to help make repairs.
Tiger Point and the Marina at the bridge were willing to help, with them, tents and a shuttle bus, we could have turned our storm misfortune into a six week party and saved our boating transient season. Instead, our leaders did nothing except say “No”. With respect to our marina, it has been a shameful two months.