Irma debris removal comes at costly price for Bibb while waiting for reimbursement

Tropical Storm Irma debris removal could cost Macon-Bibb County $2.3 million.

An ordinance on Tuesday's County Commission committee meeting agenda calls for using money from the Solid Waste Department fund to pay for the debris removal.

The county is still seeking assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to recoup much of the costs associated with the storm that hit Middle Georgia on Sept 11.

But until that money is given out, the county will have to pay for the contactors and a debris monitor hired for the removal efforts that began Oct. 12.

"We could get up to 90 percent of that reimbursed, but that process could take upwards of 18-24 months," Macon-Bibb spokesman Chris Floore said.

Macon-Bibb is paying contractors $19.75 per cubic yard of debris that is collected. There had been more than 88,000 cubic yards removed through Jan. 5.

The extent of damage caused by Irma meant the county needed to hire contractors to pick up the tree trunks, limbs and branches. And having a debris monitor checking the collections daily is helpful in getting as much assistance from FEMA as possible, Floore said.

"Macon-Bibb does not have the crews or the equipment for the seven days a week, dawn to dusk operation that was required to get the amount of debris up," he said.

Macon-Bibb officials are targeting for Irma cleanup efforts to be completed Jan. 16.

The $2.3 million doesn't include costs incurred by emergency personnel responding to the storm and other Macon-Bibb employees helping in the aftermath.

The Macon-Bibb County Emergency Management Agency is putting together estimates on the number of hours employees spent on Irma relief, which will also be submitted to FEMA for reimbursement, Floore said.

The full County Commission would vote Jan. 16 on spending $2.3 million for debris removal if the ordinance is approved at Tuesday's Operations and Finance Committee meeting.

Audit

The County Commission will receive a report Tuesday on an audit for the previous fiscal year's budget.

Last year, the audit found no significant problems with the county’s finances, but did show an $8 million shortfall for fiscal 2016.

In other business Tuesday, commission committees are set to vote on the following measures:

* Using $265,379 from a grant and special sales tax bond revenue to pay for road striping throughout the county;

* $87,542 from SPLOST bond proceeds to purchase fitness equipment for the South Macon-Bibb County Recreation Center;

* Appropriating an additional $54,819 for HIllcrest Park playground equipment and $96,962 for the new Kings Park community center.

Stanley Dunlap, 478-744-4623

This story was originally published January 8, 2018 at 11:14 AM with the headline "Irma debris removal comes at costly price for Bibb while waiting for reimbursement."