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Lee County approves large increases to storm recovery purchase orders, expects near‑total FEMA reimbursement; board directs staff to re‑bid some work
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Summary
Lee County on Oct. 21 approved substantial increases to Hurricane Ian recovery purchase orders — including raising Crowder Gulf to about $26 million and Thompson Consulting to about $3 million — and approved two Estero Boulevard repair contracts.
Lee County commissioners on Oct. 21 approved final increases to purchase orders tied to Hurricane Ian cleanup and recovery and discussed unusually high costs in the household hazardous waste category.
Staff said the requested increases will bring the total purchase order amounts to approximately $26 million for Crowder Gulf and $3 million for Thompson Consulting; county consultants estimated FEMA would reimburse roughly 98% of storm expenses so the county’s net exposure would be limited. Staff characterized this vote as the final increase to purchase orders authorized in November 2024.
Commissioners highlighted surprising cost breakdowns. One commissioner said the county’s total storm cleanup approached $30 million and that roughly $13 million of that fell into household hazardous waste (HHW) handling — an unexpectedly large share. The same commissioner told colleagues that two barrier islands with about 410 homes together produced nearly half of the county’s HHW tonnage from the storms, and said cleaning those islands cost about $8.8 million. The commissioner described HHW contractor rates cited in county documents as “exorbitant,” mentioning a figure stated in the meeting of about $24 per pound (which the speaker equated roughly to $50,000 per ton in remarks to the board).
In response to those cost concerns, a commissioner moved to approve the requested increase while directing staff to return procurement to market — to resolicit and address contract language and ensure secondary vendors or line items cover items that previously produced high charges. The board approved the motion with no recorded objection.
Separately, the board approved two Estero Boulevard hurricane repair contracts: a $1.4 million agreement with Johnson Engineering for construction engineering and inspection services (partially FHWA funded, remainder from state appropriation), and an $8.4 million construction award to Wright Construction Group for permanent roadway repairs on Estero Boulevard in Fort Myers Beach. The board also approved a budget amendment matching federal grant awards for those repairs, with staff noting the amendments are intended to cover change orders and allow the projects to proceed without repeated budget approvals; staff said change orders above $100,000 will be brought back to the board for approval.
Staff said the Estero Boulevard construction would start in November and likely last about a year; nighttime work would be limited by adjacent residences and turtle‑season constraints. Commissioners asked staff to pursue cost recovery from contractors where collateral damage was suspected and to seek reimbursement where debris‑removal contractors or private construction damaged county infrastructure.
The board’s approval of these increases comes with an explicit direction to procurement to incorporate lessons learned (secondary vendors, clearer line items) before future hurricane procurements and to return with updated solicitation language.
