Glynn County approves $42,500 increase to private debris-removal purchase order after storm cleanup volumes exceed estimates

The Glynn County Finance Committee authorized a change order increasing purchase order No. 25000272 issued to Sears Environmental Inc. by $42,500 to cover additional private debris removal generated by recent storms. Initial funding for the change order will come from the county’s revenue stabilization committed fund balance, and the motion passed on a voice vote.

Stanley Smith, Glynn County public works director, told the committee the county’s post-storm visual estimates understated the volume of private property debris. "Our visual estimate was low for the private and it was low for the public," Smith said, adding that the contractor is paid by the cubic yard under a preapproved bid and contract. Smith said officials had estimated 25,000 cubic yards for one event but had counted about 18,000 cubic yards on St. Simons Island alone to date.

Smith said the county has already increased other purchase orders to account for the additional volume and that the hurricane cleanup operation on St. Simons Island has finished grinding and haul-out stages at the site near the airport. He explained the county used separate debris-management sites for different storm events to avoid commingling material and to preserve potential federal reimbursement eligibility. "We can't have those two operations co mingle; that would risk our federal reimbursement funding," Smith said.

Smith also told commissioners that FEMA has given "some initial indication" that private debris removal from Hurricane Helene may be reimbursable, though he did not promise that reimbursement would be guaranteed.

The committee approved the $42,500 change order and directed staff to continue debris-management operations and to seek available reimbursement where applicable.