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Martin County accepts multiple grants including $350,000 seawall award, FTA bus grant and FEMA debris reimbursements; $3M HUD appropriation added for bridge
Summary
Martin County commissioners unanimously approved multiple grants and funding actions May 6, including a $350,000 seawall grant application, a $118,557 FTA bus grant, a $400,000 FEMA debris reimbursement obligation and a $3,000,000 federal HUD appropriation for a bridge replacement.
On May 6 Martin County commissioners approved a package of Office of Management and Budget items that included grant applications and acceptances, an initial FEMA obligation and a federal appropriation for a bridge replacement.
Commissioner Stephanie Marley (presenting the OMB items) outlined five requests: permission to apply for a $350,000 Waterways Assistance Program grant to repair about 79 linear feet of seawall at the east end of Bayview Street (a $350,000 county match is budgeted in the coastal shoreline CIP); acceptance of an FTA Section 5339 urbanized formula grant for $118,557 toward the purchase of an ADA-accessible bus (a $29,640 match provided via FDOT toll-revenue credits); acceptance of FEMA Public Assistance funds for Hurricane Milton debris removal with an obligation of $400,000 to be reimbursed; acceptance of FDEP Amendment 1 increasing the FDEP share for the Hutchinson Island four-mile beach project (FDEP $3,500,000; Martin County share $4,100,000, budgeted in CIP); and acceptance of a FY24 HUD Community Project Funding appropriation of $3,000,000 for the Southeast County Line Road bridge replacement because FDOT deemed the bridge obsolete.
On FEMA, staff said cumulative hurricane costs to date for Milton are about $1.2 million while individual project obligations remain under negotiation; the debris-removal obligation of $400,000 is already in hand. Jim Gorton, public works director, explained that FTA and state funds frequently cover a substantial share of Martin County's public transit operating and capital costs; the county pays roughly one-third of Marty service costs (about $3 million total annual program cost) from ad valorem funds and other local sources while the rest is state and federal support.
Public works deputy director George Zama said the Southeast County Line Road bridge replacement was originally scheduled in the county CIP at an estimated $6 million; staff successfully secured $3 million each in state and federal appropriations to attempt to fully fund the anticipated replacement, though costs may rise and staff will bid the project.
The board voted to accept staff recommendations unanimously. Commissioners asked about timing and cash flow for FEMA reimbursements; staff said reimbursements can take years and that the county uses reserves, CIP adjustments or bridge loans in larger disasters, though an expedited process for debris removal can speed recovery for that category of work.
