Georgica Beach Restoration Bid Awarded, But Work Put Off

Restoration work to tackle erosion at Georgica Beach and damage to the road-end from Tropical Storm Irene is all lined up, but East Hampton Village is putting off the work until spring.

Meanwhile, the village is expecting to receive a total of about $202,000 in reimbursement due to storm damage in 2011. The village filed paperwork for $231,000 of reimbursable expenses and while approved for that amount, the village will receive only 87.5 percent. The Federal Emergency Management Association will kick in 75 percent, while the state will give 12.5 percent, Cantwell said on Tuesday.

But, Irene likely cost the village $50,000 to $100,000 more. Cantwell said the federal and state aid doesn't apply to salaries that would be regardless of a storm. For instance, if highway workers spend weeks cleaning up after a storm, FEMA considers that the normal course of work, even though the workers could have been doing other work during that time.

The aid will cover work at Georgica Beach. Keith Grimes Inc., of Montauk, received the bid for the road-end and replenishment work for $51,256.

The Georgica Beach road end collapsed during the height of the storm, when there was a tidal surge and erosion that caused the asphalt to break apart. The necessary permits have been secured from the town trustees and the Department of Environmental Conservation to reclaim 20 feet of the road end.

While the deadline for the beach restoration is still set out May 15, Cantwell said the work most likely won't begin until just a month earlier. "We want to wait to evaluate that situate around early April," Cantwell said.

Cantwell said Grimes will likely begin work in April and look to finish by June 15. Construction will take a time-out during Memorial Day weekend.

Unrealted to Hurricane Irene, Georgica Road is going to be getting resurfaced soon. On Friday, the village board awarded a $599,157 bid to Corazzini Asphalt, of Cutchogue. The job is part of more than $1 million in road projects the village is considering.