Milton Recovery Sunday Afternoon 10/13/2024 Update
MANATEE COUNTY, FL (Oct. 13, 2024) – Milton has left a mark, but continued combined efforts from Manatee County residents and staff are showing the resilience of this community. In fact, the County will begin “opening for business” tomorrow at the following locations:
Manatee County Administration Building (1112 Manatee Ave. W. Bradenton)
Manatee County Public Works (1022 26th Ave. E., Bradenton)
Manatee County Public Safety Center (2101 47th Ter. E., Bradenton)
Manatee County Utilities Administration (3647 Cortez Rd. W., Bradenton)
Manatee County Utilities 66th Street facilities (4520 66th St. W., Bradenton)
In addition, two (2) Manatee County Branch Libraries will be opening Monday. The Lakewood Ranch Branch (16410 Rangeland Pkwy., Bradenton) and the Rocky Bluff Branch (6750 US Hwy. 301 N., Ellenton) will be open from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Other branches will open as the facilities are inspected and assessed.
There will be a partial opening at G.T. Bray Recreation Center (5502 33rd Ave. Dr. W., Bradenton) with fitness center and group classes within the recreation building and outdoors will resuming on Monday. The Gymnasium will remain closed as FEMA will be setting up there beginning Tuesday to address individual recovery needs as a Disaster Recovery Center. The group classes and athletic programming typically in the gymnasium will remain cancelled while the location is utilized to serve our community.
Manatee County Parks are being cleared and inspected by staff and will reopen as they are deemed safe for visitors. An updated list of those locations and their status will be available at mymanateee.org/storm. All county preserves will be opening Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. Manatee County Beaches will remain closed until further notice.
Manatee County Public Works crews continue to bring more traffic signals back online. As of Sunday afternoon, 180 signals are operational with an additional 76 on generators and 19 on flash mode. The number of non-working signals has been reduced to 56, with work continuing until all signals have been restored. Drivers are still advised to treat any intersection with non-working or malfunctioning signals as a four-way stop.
The Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller will be open regular business hours. The Manatee County Agricultural Museum, Manatee Village Historical Park, and Palmetto Historical Park are currently closed until further notice. The Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court in Manatee County will be open during regular business hours on Monday, October 14. If you have been summoned for jury duty on Monday, please call the jury recording line at (941) 748-7407 on Tuesday evening for further reporting instructions.
Starting Monday, Manatee County debris removal efforts will be augmented with additional contractors to ramp up roadside debris removal operations. Removal teams will transport the roadside debris to temporary drop locations strategically placed throughout the county to ensure efficient removal of debris from our neighborhoods. Permanent removal of storm related debris from the temporary sites will be determined later.
As a reminder, county crews and contractors cannot go onto private property to collect debris. However, if that debris is piled in the right of way, debris haulers will collect it. If you see haulers in your area and they don’t pick up your debris, don’t worry—they will be making multiple passes. Debris collection is scheduled to proceed for several weeks with no exact timeline for completion. Debris will be collected until the job is done. For curbside pickup, please separate debris from regular garbage and separate the debris into the following three categories:
Vegetative (e.g., tree branches)
Construction/Demolition (e.g., building materials, fencing, furniture, mattresses)
Appliances/White Goods
Do not place debris in bags; instead, create piles at your curb. Debris should be placed at least 3 feet away from structures such as mailboxes, vehicles, and backflow prevention assemblies. Avoid placing debris near low-lying or downed power lines.
Trash and recycling collections will return to their normal schedule this week. The Lena Rd. Landfill (3333 Lena Rd., Bradenton) will reopen Monday, October 14 with extended hours of operation: 6 a.m. to midnight, daily, until further notice. Tipping fees have been waived for Manatee County residents.
Manatee County residents have been able to take advantage of emergency Points of Distribution (PODs) across the county, featuring Meals Ready-to-Eat (MRE), water and tarps and even fuel. These pods will continue to be available through the coming days. Items available vary by location. Details can be found at mymanatee.org/PODS.
Understanding that many residents are still in need due to Hurricane Milton, Manatee County is conducting an online self-reporting survey to help determine priorities and respond faster. Please go to mymanatee.org/miltonhelp to request immediate needs—food, water, medical assistance or other essentials. This will help the county assess and respond to needs appropriately.
Manatee County businesses are asked to also fill out the Business Damage Assessment Survey. Select “Hurricane Milton” or “Hurricane Helene” from the dropdown menu. These responses are important as they will allow the state to expedite hurricane recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of impacted businesses.
The Manatee County Community Health Team's Pop-Up Clinics bring essential health and social services to Hurricane Milton-affected areas. The Clinics will offer wellness visits, first aid, health screenings, medical and social referrals and local support and information. The following locations will be open from 9a.m. -12 p.m. in the Club House/Entrance parking lots of the following complexes:
Oct. 14 Trailer Estates (1903 69th Av. W. Bradenton)
Oct. 15 Shadow Brook (3820 63rd St. E., Palmetto)
Oct. 16 Coach House Mobile Home Park (3004 49th St. E., Palmetto)
Oct. 17 Terra Siesta Co-Op (3502 Patricia Pl., Ellenton)
Oct. 18 Colony Cove (101 Amsterdam Ave., Ellenton)
Oct. 19 North River Estates (7001 36th St. E., Ellenton)
Oct. 20 Sun Key Village (2601 86th St. E., Palmetto)
Please continue to monitor the County's social media accounts for updates. Official storm information from Manatee County is always updated at mymanatee.org/storm.