County retracts Irma cleanup deadline claim as costs are expected in the millions

Hurricane Irma debris cleanup is expected to cost millions, and the Manatee County Utilities Department backtracked on a statement made about being cleared in two months.

“I made the foolish mistake of saying two months,” utilities director Mike Gore told county commissioners during a meeting Tuesday. “I’m here to tell you today it’s a lot longer than that.”

Even if there is no firm end date, Gore said he believes his department is in “good shape,” currently having 16 trucks with the capability of hauling 100 cubic yards and 17 more on the way.

On a normal year, the county is typically picking up 50,000 cubic yards of yard waste. But debris models after Irma calculate the total cleanup to be between 1.2 million and 1.4 million cubic yards, Gore said, and it may cost around $27 million.

“It doesn’t look like we’re making a dent on it right now,” he said.

There are specifications the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires for reimbursement, including a certain size of truck, making sure the debris was from Irma and, of course, paperwork. Gore said they expect to receive at least 87 percent in federal reimbursements, still about $3 million short.

Residents should still be separating their Irma debris into three categories: vegetative waste, like trees and leaves; construction and demolition debris, like roofing and drywall; and appliances, like refrigerators and dryers. Regular pickup schedules for household garbage and recycling have resumed for county residents.

The utilities department expects to continue to update commissioners on their progress, but Chairwoman Betsy Benac asked for residents to be patient.

“They’re looking to us to make a difference, but we’re not alone in this,” Benac said, adding that the entire state is dealing with this issue. “We’ve got to be somewhat realistic.”

Some Manatee County residents are still dealing with flood damage from the no-name storm a few weeks before Irma hit. More than a dozen people who live near Ninth Street East and Whitfield Avenue spoke to commissioners during public comment to address flooding issues.

Lenore McDonald’s house is sinking into her backyard. Paula Knudson has lost between 3 feet and 6 feet of banking on the Bowlees Creek.

“We can’t wait,” McDonald said. “We’re in trouble.”

Residents are pointing the blame to a lack of dredging in drainage ditches and a relatively new apartment complex where they claim is an insufficient retention pond and had been told it would take several months before any action would be taken.

“We know this area,” said Manatee County Public Works Director Ron Schulhofer. “We’re very sympathetic to our neighbors.”

Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace made a motion to reconvene at a workshop within 45 days to see what can be done. The motion passed unanimously.

Also at Tuesday’s regular meeting:

▪ Manatee County commissioners approved $5.326 million for a low-income pool of funds for indigent care. The distribution has been plotted out as $3.426 million to Manatee Memorial Hospital; $1.4 million to Manatee County Rural Health Services; and $280,732 to Blake Medical Center. Also included in the funding is $200,000 for performance-based incentives. The money must be used for charity care, said Joshua T. Barnett, health care services manager.

▪ Commissioners approved a letter to the Manatee School District asking for postponement of design and construction of new middle and elementary schools in Parrish to allow time to build the planned schools to hurricane shelter standards. If hurricanes continue to grow in intensity and frequency, the likelihood increases that residents in counties to the south will flee north with many stopping in Manatee County where shelter space is already limited, the letter said.

▪ Commissioners unanimously approved a change to Hidden Trail Drive in Lakewood Ranch from motorized-vehicle only to allowing bicycles to use the roadway.

▪ Commissioners unanimously approved the Fort Hamer Extension Interlocal Agreement and will later decide whether an 8-foot or 10-foot multi-use trail will be placed alongside the road.

This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 8:20 PM with the headline "County retracts Irma cleanup deadline claim as costs are expected in the millions."