BRADENTON BEACH – On Friday morning, (Oct. 4), City Attorney Ricinda Perry provided an update on the ongoing hurricane recovery efforts taking place in the city.
When speaking to The Sun, Perry addressed power restoration, new tropical weather concerns, debris collection, mail delivery, access to and from Longboat Key, FEMA assistance, and the arrival of FEMA and a Manatee County assessment team.
Power restoration
According to the Florida Power & Light update the city received this morning (Oct. 4), Wilco had restored all but three lateral undergrounded power lines on the south end of the city, with work on the remaining three lateral lines ongoing. Wilco is the company that installed many of Bradenton Beach’s underground power lines south of the Cortez Bridge.
Perry said FPL has restored power to 98% of the city as of late Friday morning. FPL is releasing its power restoration resources for reassignment elsewhere and shutting down the FPL staging area at Coquina Beach.
Perry said some properties are still without power and some property owners have damaged electrical systems that prevent them from receiving power.
When asked if electrical service is being restored to the residential properties south of Bridge Street, Perry said, “Yes. Mayor Chappie has power at his house (on 12th Street South).”
Most, if not all, of the businesses along Bridge Street had power as of this morning.
Tropical concerns
Perry said city officials are monitoring the tropical weather activity predicted to start as early as Saturday and potentially produce more heavy rain on the Island. The city is expected to release additional information regarding those weather concerns later today.
Today, Manatee County included this statement in a recovery-related press release: “An additional state of emergency declaration was signed earlier today allowing for preparations to occur for the upcoming weather systems. With some rainfall forecast models approaching or having an even greater potential impact than Hurricane Debby earlier this year, county emergency leaders are encouraging citizens to monitor the weather and make any needed preparations for their property.”
The potential for more heavy rain comes at a time when the city’s storm drains have not yet been cleared of Hurricane Helene debris.
“FDOT is finishing up their street and right of way clearing efforts today and will resume activity on Monday. FDOT has not cleaned out our storm drains yet. FDOT and the city can’t get to the storm drains yet,” Perry said, noting that could impact drainage.
The city hopes to place empty sandbags and shovels near the comfort station on Bridge Street and the comfort station at the north end of the city by the Circle K convenience store, but as of 1 p.m. the county had not yet delivered them.
“Upon arrival, you can pick up your sandbags and use the sand on your property,” Perry said.
Debris collection
Perry said the city’s contract with its emergency debris removal company, Ashbritt, only provides for two city-funded hurricane debris pickups.
“We want to get as much debris out to the curb as we can before our first pickup,” she said.
The debris must be sorted and cannot be placed in a single pile. Debris needs to be sorted into three piles: Household/construction debris (mattresses, furniture, siding, fences, etc.), white goods (appliances) and landscaping debris.
“We only get two city-funded pickups and we need to allow time for people to return to the city and clean their houses up,” Perry said.
Waste Pro serves as the city’s regular trash and recycling collection company and those collection activities have resumed.
Mail delivery
“Mail to delivery started today to anyone who has a mailbox. If you don’t have a mailbox your mail will be held at the Longboat Key post office,” Perry.
Perry said cleanup efforts are underway at the Bradenton Beach post office but it’s not yet known when service will resume at that location.
Longboat Key access
Perry said per an agreement between both cities, vehicular access between Bradenton Beach and Longboat remains closed to motorists with a checkpoint still in place.
“We’re turning away people who are trying to get to Longboat Key for work or to collect their mail. It’s a joint agreement between Longboat Key and Bradenton Beach. We both support that,” Perry said.
FEMA/county assistance
Perry said three FEMA representatives arrived in Bradenton Beach Friday morning and began going door-to-door, starting at the Pines Trailer Park, using mobile devices to help hurricane-impacted residents file FEMA claims. The FEMA reps will continue from there and a FEMA Corps team will be joining those outreach efforts.
“They will go door-to-door to every single house and structure in the city, starting at The Pines,” Perry said she’s still trying to get a mobile FEMA site established on Bridge Street.
Perry said a Manatee County needs assessment team consisting of 20 individuals and four vehicles will begin going around the city today, starting at The Pines.
“They’re going to ask the people that live here what they need. Do they need fuel, groceries, gloves, etc.?” Perry said. “Residents are going to see two different teams approaching them: the county needs assessment team and FEMA.”
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