Glynn County to drain stagnant East Beach "slew"; Coast Guard station construction slated for later this year

Glynn County Manager Bill Fallon said the county will move ahead with work to drain and remediate a stagnant pool — described in the interview as a "slew" behind lifeguard stands on East Beach, St. Simons Island — after state and Department of Natural Resources funding becomes available.

Fallon told Good News Glenn that state lawmakers helped secure money in the upcoming state budget and that the Department of Natural Resources is expected to contribute roughly $1 million toward the effort, but that the funding is contingent on the governor signing the budget. "We're going to be able to drain that and then, do some scraping, on the beach to be able to fill most of that. And then we might have to truck in some sand," Fallon said.

The county describes the feature as stagnant water that is not tidally flushed; Fallon said it has been mistakenly described in the past as a tidal pool. He said engineers are providing final data about the site, and that the county does not expect to begin physical work on the project until the winter season when conditions are suitable. "We won't start on that until probably the winter," Fallon said. He also said temporary floating bridges will remain in place this year.

Why it matters: Fallon said the stagnant water is a safety concern because it sits behind lifeguard positions and children sometimes play in it. County officials framed the planned remediation as a public-safety measure and a coastal maintenance task that requires engineering work and, potentially, sand import.

Fallon also described progress on a separate coastal infrastructure project: a replacement Coast Guard station. He said the county did not receive expected construction bids the first time the project went to market and that the county plans to split the work into separate contracts — one for landscaping and one for the vertical (building) work that will match the existing historic Coast Guard station. "We're actually going to have a company that hopefully that's gonna be able to do the landscape part of it and then somebody that's gonna do the vertical build," Fallon said. He said the county hopes to have a shovel in the ground in July or August, with construction completing toward the fall or into winter for use next season.

Fallon also noted related seasonal preparations: lifeguard staffing is nearly full after a few vacancies, and Parks & Recreation and lifeguard teams are preparing for summer operations. He mentioned Blythe Island Regional Park as a high-use summer location and said the county saw strong RV and visitor activity there in March.

What remains open: Fallon said the state must sign the budget before the DNR and legislative funds are available and the county is awaiting final engineering data to finalize the scope. He did not provide a firm construction contract award date or final project cost beyond the approximate DNR contribution. The interview did not include a formal county vote or other recorded action.

Discussion points: County Manager Bill Fallon raised public-safety concerns about the East Beach slew, described funding sources (state budget, DNR contribution), and provided a projected timeline pending approvals and engineering results. On the Coast Guard station, Fallon described procurement strategy changes (splitting contracts) and an expected mid-summer start.

Ending: Fallon said the county will proceed with design and permitting steps while awaiting funding and that residents can expect more details once engineering and contract procurement progress further.