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The effort to pick up Lakeland’s hurricane debris faster gets a boost Saturday when three more trucks and crews are expected to arrive, city commissioners learned Friday during an impromptu update session on storm recovery.
There were also updates on Lake Bonny, where homes remain flooded three weeks after Hurricane Milton:
- A fourth pump that was added to help draw down flood waters has been tested and is now operating, City Manager Shawn Sherrouse said when commissioners discussed storm recovery at the start of their scheduled agenda study meeting.
- Commissioners scheduled an evening meeting to give updates on the lake and hear from residents about their concerns. It is planned for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the commission chambers on the third floor of City Hall, 228 S. Massachusetts Ave.
Debris: Three double self-loading trucks are expected to arrive Saturday, Sherrouse said.
The city had previously expected five additional haulers and crews from private contractors, but they did not arrive. Sherrouse explained the trucks are in high demand throughout the Southeast. In order to be competitive, the city had to increase its rate to the current market rate of $14.98 per cubic yard instead of the 2022 rate of $7.36 it had been offering, he said…