After Hurricane Ian, the town of Longboat Key is in the early stages of debris cleanup. Monday was his sixth day of cleaning work.
From October 5th (Wednesday), cleaning activities commissioned by the town started on public roads in the town. In the case of driveways, usually neighboring driveways, a right-of-way contract had to be filed before a contractor could pass to collect the debris.
“Many of those[agreements]are now in place,” Mayor Tom Hamer said Monday. “We are still in the first passage on public roads and should be finished by the end of this week.”
Due to timing, it is likely that by the end of the week the contractor will be in the neighborhood where the entry agreement is filed.
To complete the entire first pass on both the island’s public and private roads, Hamer expects the process to take several weeks.
“Usually the first pass picks up all the debris that was put there in the first place,” he said. “There’s usually some level of extra cleanup happening.”
Since the Gulf of Mexico Drive is a state highway, the town’s FEMA representative informed that private town contractors are not allowed to pick up debris along the road. The Florida Department of Transportation has coordinated an initial cleanup of the island starting Thursday. October 6th.
Harmer expects the state sweep along the Gulf Drive to be completed this week. State he completes only one pass.
Hamer noted that additional cleanup could already be seen along the Gulf of Mexico Drive in areas the state has already passed to pass along the road. Debris left on the road after the first pass is collected during additional passes through the island.
After a hurricane, it usually takes three passes over the island to complete the clearing of all the debris.
For Hurricane Ian, FEMA covers 100% of the cost of debris removal for the first 30 days.
FEMA regulations also require that the pickup process be highly regulated and monitored. The town has deployed a debris monitoring contractor to ensure the town meets the required processes and has the necessary documentation in place.
During the cleanup, the town’s waste management department has chosen to suspend recycling services for the next two to four weeks due to storm priorities and limited resources, an email from Harmer to the commissioner said. Both Sarasota and Manatee counties have taken similar steps.
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