Greene County commissioners approve $150,000 transfer for tornado debris removal

Greene County commissioners approved a transfer of $150,000 from the county’s rainy day fund to the 2025 disaster relief line item to pay for debris removal following a recent tornado.

A county staff member told commissioners at a special meeting that the county is asking for the money “to carry out these debris removal plans,” and that Republic — working with a representative named Kenny Pass — has offered to handle collection at a rate county staff described as better than the county could obtain on its own.

The funding is included in a disaster-recovery package that staff said had to be submitted to the state by 2:00 p.m. the same day. The staff member said the submission is required to make the work eligible for state and federal reimbursement and added, “The most the most reimbursement is 75 percent.”

County staff outlined how the debris collection will work: household-related construction debris (but not metal, concrete or painted wood) must be placed on the county right-of-way so the county can pick it up and preserve eligibility for reimbursement. "They will have to be taken to the county right away, and then we'll come along and pick it up," the staff member said. Staff said residents would have from Monday until the following Wednesday to place eligible debris at the right-of-way and that the county would perform a single pickup pass; material not placed by that deadline would not be collected.

Commissioners heard that the $150,000 budget would cover as many as 375 10-yard dumpsters if needed; staff said the county may not spend the full amount if the need is less. Staff also said damage estimates were still being collected; a speaker referenced roughly $6.5 million reported by an energy provider and a separate federal damage threshold figure of $14 million that staff said related to uninsured losses, but staff characterized those numbers as preliminary and still being confirmed.

At the meeting, Commissioner Abraham moved to transfer $150,000 from the rainy day fund to the disaster relief 2025 line item; Commissioner Brent seconded the motion. The chair called for the vote and those present responded “aye,” and the motion carried.

County staff said they expect to issue a public notice the following Monday describing accepted debris types, pickup timing and drop-off locations. Any reimbursement the county receives would, staff said, go back to the rainy day fund if the commissioners so choose.