Sandy's Cleanup Costs Rise to $7.6M for Smithtown

The price tag of cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy has risen to a hefty $7.6 million for the Town of Smithtown. 

Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio increased his prior estimate of $5.3 million to $7.6 milllion for Superstorm Sandy's cleanup after Tuesday's board meeting. 

"We still are working to remove some tree stumps and debris," he said.

The Town of Smithtown has revised the estimated cost of Hurricane Sandy twice so far in the cleanup process. On Nov. 26, Highway Superintendent Glenn Jorgenson told Patch that he expected storm cleanup would cost the town approximately $4 million and would last until Christmas. However, that was before Highway Department crews started their second sweep through the town collecting debris.

In December 2012, Vecchio offered a revised $5.3 million estimate, which was 'only an estimate' as he expects that number to increase. 

Despite cleanup work still continue, the supervisor said he expects the $7.6M estimate to be relatively close to the overall bill sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as efforts are winding down. FEMA will reimburse Smithtown approximately 75 to 80 percent of Sandy's final cleanup costs, according to Vecchio. 

The new $7.6 million price tag make Superstorm Sandy more than five times more costly than Tropical Storm Irene, which cost Smithtown $1.3 million in 2012. 

Across Long Island, many townships have yet to announce their cost for Sandy's cleanup. The Town of Brookhaven has not finished totalling its costs, and has not offered a final estimate. 

Town of Smithtown taxpayers will not feel Sandy's potential impact until the town's 2014 budget is drawn up, as Vecchio said FEMA can take up to one year to send out reimbursements. The town recieved its $1 million check from FEMA for Irene's $1.3 million bill in June 2012.