City manager: Tornado costs in Beavercreek to exceed $3M

City officials in Beavercreek are getting a clearer picture of the costs from dealing with the Memorial Day tornado.

The city announced today the cost of chipping services to process the mountain of trees, limbs and other yard debris removed from Beavercreek neighborhoods is expected to be more than $1 million. City Manager Pete Landrum announced the news today on the city’s Facebook page.

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That estimate does not include costs for hauling the resulting mulch after the debris is chipped.

“The bid for the chipping and hauling of the debris will be soon, following all FEMA and federal bid regulations,” Landrum’s post reads.

The city used its contract with Bunyan Tree Care Inc. to haul away the piles of yard debris that lined the the city’s residential streets after the EF3 tornado that heavily damaged hundreds of homes and affected more than a thousand properties.

The daily costs for Bunyan’s services ranged from $29,000 to $32,000.

The total costs to the city from the tornado’s aftermath is about a third more from early estimates, and now is estimated at more than $3 million, according to Landrum.

“Fund reserves in the street funds and general fund will be cut in half,” Landrum reported.

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Allocations for resurfacing and other projects have been reduced, as separate funds to support parks, police and street capital projects cannot be tapped for storm clean-up.

The city does not have an income tax.

The city can recover up to 75 percent of those costs by applying for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but it could take until 2021 before funds are granted.

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