Agenda 01/28/2025 Item #16B 7 (Donation of sand from Stewart Materials)1/28/2025
Item # 16.B.7
ID# 2025-39
Executive Summary
Recommendation to accept a donation of sand from Stewart Materials received by Collier County in advance of
Hurricane Helene and Milton's landfalls in the amount of $25,968.
OBJECTIVE: For the Board to accept a donation of sand valued at $25,968 from Stewart Materials in advance of
Hurricanes Helene and Milton's arrival.
CONSIDERATIONS: Anticipating for weather events, the Road, Bridge, and Stormwater Maintenance Division
(“Division”) maintains sandbags and a sandbagging machine to provide no-cost sand and sandbags to Collier County
residents (“public”) to prepare for weather events (flooding, hurricanes, etc.). In preparation for Hurricane Helene
(“Helene”), the Division met with the Parks and Recreation Division and began hurricane planning during the week of
September 23, 2024, and sand and sandbags were made available to the public. The initial planning phase was small-
scale, as the supply of sand was limited to 100 tons of stored sand at the Division’s facility at 4800 Davis Boulevard,
which is used for maintenance activities.
Before Hurricane Helene’s landfall, Stewart Materials contacted the Division, offering to donate approximately 200 tons
of sand. Stewart Materials is a County vendor that provides beach compatible sand supply for emergency beach fill. This
donation was unrelated to the emergency beach sand contract. Due to the uncertainty of Helene’s path, the planning
phase quickly advanced into a much larger effort. The team identified five locations for distribution of sand and
sandbags, three County parks, and the Division’s two facilities, one in Naples and the other in Immokalee.
A press release from Collier County, Communications, Government & Public Affairs Division informed residents that
sand and sandbags were available at Donna Fiala Eagle Lakes Community Park, 11565 Tamiami Trail E., North Collier
Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Road, and Immokalee Community Park, 321 N. 1st Street, Immokalee, FL. Residents
were informed there was a 10-bag limit per person and that they had to bring a shovel to fill the bags. The public bagged
80 percent of the donated sand within the first few days. Stewart Materials donated an additional 100 tons of sand. All
the locations were monitored by County staff.
The Division followed the same plan for Hurricane Milton (“Milton”). County staff had 13 days between Helene
(Category 4) and Milton (Category 3). The combination of Milton’s path and timeline being so close to Helene created a
greater response from the public, requiring more sand. Stewart Materials voluntarily donated an additional 500 tons of
sand.
In total, Stewart Materials donated 800 tons of sand to the County, valued at $25,968 (approximately $32.46 per ton).
Related cost for Division supplied materials include approximately 55,400 empty sandbags purchased from other County
vendors totaling $25,254 (submitted for FEMA reimbursement) and 100 tons of stored sand previously purchased from
Agreement No. 24-8253 (Stewart Materials is not a contract holder under this agreement), valued at $3,246. The
Division’s crews distributed over 800 tons of sand to the various pickup locations.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no additional fiscal impact associated with Board acceptance of this after-the-fact donation
of sand valued at $25,968.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: There is no Growth Management Impact resulting from this action.
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item is approved as to form and legality and requires majority vote for approval. –
CMG
RECOMMENDATIONS: To approve the donation of sand valued at $25,968 from Stewart Materials before Hurricane
Helene and Milton’s landfalls.
Page 554 of 3681
1/28/2025
Item # 16.B.7
ID# 2025-39
PREPARED BY: Marshal Miller, Director, Road, Bridge & Stormwater Maintenance Division, Transportation
Management Services Department.
ATTACHMENTS:
None
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