BROOKSVILLE — The County Commission on May 26 awarded a $6.5 million contract to a Dunedin construction company to build Fire Station 15, over the dissent of Commissioner Steve Champion, who argued the price tag was too high.
Bandes Construction Co. submitted the winning bid of $6,511,800, which includes a $250,000 owner’s contingency. Eleven companies bid on the bond-funded project, which is approved for up to $8 million. Reserves will be reimbursed once debt is issued.
The 9,608-square-foot, three-bay station will be built at 10270 Atlanta Ave., south of Weeki Wachee High School and a new housing development. The project includes electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire protection systems, along with sidewalks, paving, drainage and landscaping, according to agenda documents.
Carla Rossiter-Smith, the county’s director of procurement and strategic initiatives, presented the contract at the May 26 meeting. Commissioner Brian Hawkins moved to approve, and Commissioner John Allocco seconded. There was no public comment.
Champion: ‘Out-of-control government spending’
Champion has repeatedly accused contractors of trying to overcharge the county and has criticized proposed fire stations as containing too much “fluff.”
“I guess the $2 million station didn’t work out,” he said. “It wasn’t sufficient enough, it wasn’t fancy enough for us, I guess for Hernando County.”
He has previously cited a Levy County fire station he said cost $1.85 million, though in August 2025 he revised that figure to $2.5 million.
“We did not get a bid in that range, sir,” Rossiter-Smith told him May 26.
Champion said he would not support the station without a funding source for staffing, pointing to what he called “out-of-control government spending.” He noted that state Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia has scrutinized Citrus County’s finances and said Hernando’s situation is worse.
Ingoglia said in March that Citrus County had overspent by $39 million this year and should cut property taxes, according to FloridaPolitics.com.
“If we can’t afford to pay the salaries, we shouldn’t build the station,” Champion said. “We’re spending triple, I believe, of what it should cost.”
County Administrator Jeff Rogers countered that 21 new positions for the station are already funded through the municipal services benefit unit. “You funded those last year,” he told commissioners.
When Champion pressed for assurances that the project would not raise the fire fee, Rogers said equipment costs could push the fee up but added that new housing development in the area would help offset that.
The bidders
Two bids — from Mainstay Construction Services LLC and Rycon Construction Inc. — were deemed non-responsive, and Blackwater Construction Services’ bid was deemed non-responsible.
The remaining bids, in ascending order:
• Mainstay Construction Services LLC: $5,697,473
• Blackwater Construction Services: $5,883,950
• Rycon Construction Inc.: $6,297,413
• Bandes Construction Co. (winner): $6,511,800
• Nabholz Construction Corp.: $6,552,612
• MVH Construction LLC: $6,877,431
• Ulloa Management Group: $7,026,000
• Wehr Constructors: $7,084,952
• D.E. Scorpio Corp.: $7,563,528
• Dinkins Construction LLC: $7,784,521
• All Phase General Contractors Inc.: $8,057,725
Tyler Technologies contract
In a separate 5-0 vote, the commission approved an amended contract with Tyler Technologies for utility billing software, though Champion said he had not heard good things about the company.
The county’s previous billing contract, which cost $1.6 million, has been terminated, Rossiter-Smith said. The Tyler deal is valued at $1.045 million.
Utilities Director Brad Smith said his department is working toward a smooth transition. There was no public comment.