County hearing 'a different set of rules' from FEMA for post-hurricane reimbursement

Palm Coast Observer
News

Flagler County has gotten mixed signals from the Federal Emergency Management Agency: It was originally told that it would be reimbursed by FEMA for certain post- Hurricane Matthew cleanup expenses, even without getting the work pre-authorized. But now FEMA staff, in a recent briefing, have told county officials something different, County Administrator Craig Coffey said at an Nov. 7 County Commission workshop.

“We tried to follow all the rules as we understand it,” Coffey said. “At the briefing, we heard a different set of rules that required pre-approval from a debris team. We have not seen a debris team, and we may not see one for a couple more weeks. So the option they’ve given you is to wait two months until a debris team determines that’s OK. … From a life safety standpoint, there’s kids, sometimes there’s sewage, there’s fire hazards. We could not wait two months. … If you wait on FEMA or wait on somebody else, you’re going to get somebody hurt.”

The county has asked for damage assessments for a total of $33 million, of which about $11 would be for properties that are under the county’s jurisdiction, such as unincorporated areas or county facilities within municipalities — like the Flagler County Public Library branch in Palm Coast, said Flagler County Public Safety Emergency Manager Steve Garten.

The county’s total estimate for reimbursable vegetative debris cleanup alone is $1.7 million, Garten said, plus $77,000 for construction and demolition debris, and $187,000 for removing hanging tree limbs and another $8,400 for potentially dangerous branches that are leaning against a tree trunk.

The county has collected about 100,0000 cubic yards of vegetative debris and another 4,000 in construction and demolition debris in unincorporated areas and on county-owned property, and is about 90-95% done with its “first pass” of debris collection. Vegetative debris is being mulched at a landfill, Garten said.

Beach cleanup continues

Flagler County is still working to clean up its beaches, with high tides regularly re-depositing storm debris.

There are about 3.55 miles of beach that still have “heavy hurricane garbage,” Flagler County Environmental Planner Tim Telfer told the commission.

“Even though we’ve addressed some areas, we’re still getting some residual wash-up at high tide,” he said.

The areas that haven’t been cleared thoroughly, he said, are mostly ones that are a decent hike from the remaining, functioning dune walkovers. Volunteers have kept most of the areas within a quarter-mile or a half-mile of the beach access points clear.

Residents are welcome to help out, Telfer said, by bagging storm debris in heavy-duty plastic garbage bags and placing the filled bags at the dune line, so that county staff making their rounds on all-terrain vehicles can collect them.

But, he said, “Everything has a screw or a nail in it right now. If you’re walking the beach, be very, very careful.”

County staff are planning a series of beach cleanups the week of Thanksgiving, and will drive volunteers out to the more remote areas on all-terrain vehicles at those events.

BOX: HOW TO HELP

Want to pitch in with the beach cleanup effort on your own time? Volunteers can bag storm debris in heavy-duty plastic garbage bags, and place the filled bags at the dune line for county staff to collect. But watch your step: A lot of the wood debris has nails in it.