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Supervisors discuss county solid‑waste assistance program to clear hurricane debris on private river lots; ask county attorney to review authority
Summary
After hurricane-related complaints about uncollected debris on private river lots, the board discussed reviving a 2011 Solid Waste Assistance Program (SWAP) and directed staff to ask the county attorney about legal authority, costs and potential ordinance requirements for any county-run cleanup program.
Several landowners asked the county to address large-scale solid-waste problems on private river lots left after hurricane cleanup. At the meeting supervisors discussed a previously existing Solid Waste Assistance Program (SWAP) from 2011 that provided one-time county-facilitated cleanups for large waste issues.
“It's called a solid waste assistance program … the program is sponsored by us and facilitated by public works,” a county staff member said while describing the packet materials that outline goals such as remediation of large-scale solid waste, prevention of code violations, and disposal assistance.
Supervisors raised concerns about scope and cost, noting the county’s limited staff and equipment and the risk of recurring obligations if the program were broad. One supervisor said some neighboring jurisdictions bill property owners after cleanup; another noted adopting a county program would likely require an ordinance and a public hearing.
The board directed staff to consult the county attorney to determine legal authority, possible ordinance language, and resource implications, and to report back with options — including whether the county could clean and then bill property owners or whether state or federal assistance could be pursued for larger river‑channel work. No formal ordinance or program was adopted at the meeting.
Supervisors also discussed the timing of potential outside assistance and noted that some larger river‑channel work is pending identification of appropriation and federal/state support.
