City Council on Tuesday focused flood-protection funding toward seven projects in communities that faced significant impacts from Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
The “mega bundle,” as the projects are called, is ready to move forward in Windsor Woods, Princess Anne Plaza and The Lakes at a guaranteed price negotiated with a contractor. Officials developed a way to pay for the projects amid rising costs and a shortfall by, in part, using funds for other planned projects that aren’t ready to be built.
Council backed amending the capital improvement plan to move forward with nearly $489 million for the mega bundle projects. The council authorized transferring nearly $273 million from other flood protection projects and adopting additional bond funding to close a difference of about $403.6 million.
Funding will be restored for those planned projects, officials have said.
“The prioritization here and the bundling reflects what is an emergent and very important priority to protect more than 30,000 households in those neighborhoods that were impacted by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and continue to be impacted to this day,” said Councilmember Michael Berlucchi on Tuesday.
Councilmember Barbara Henley said during the meeting, “Certainly, this is something that has to be done. There's no question about it.”
However, she noted that some of the projects are in communities she represents. Henley asked for regular updates on the funding for those projects.
Most of the mega-bundle projects were part of the 2021 flood protection referendum – as were the sources of the transfers.
The cost of the seven projects exceeded the available funding appropriated for the work, according to a presentation last month by City Engineer Toni Utterback.
City staff recommended adopting an ordinance transferring money from other flood protection projects and appropriating additional money for the contract.
“In order to move forward with the project, we need to move funds from other projects that aren’t ready for construction at this time knowing that we’ll work in the future budgets to refund those projects,” City Manager Patrick Duhaney said.
Last month, Mayor Bobby Dyer said Hurricane Matthew was a “game changer” for the city, drawing focus to flood protection. Officials noted the projects being funded are in areas hit hardest in the wake of 2016 storms. More than 800 homes reported flooding.
Dyer on Tuesday said the city has been dealing with ways to address significant increases in cost estimates for stormwater projects. Voters in 2021 approved $567.5 million in bond funding for 21 projects. Estimated costs have grown to about $1.5 billion.
The mayor said the city remains committed to the other projects.
“Stormwater is going to be a situation that we’re going to have to confront for a long time,” he said, calling fighting flooding the city’s top priority.