The Borough of Sea Girt in Monmouth County is slated to receive a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has awarded more than $1.6 million to help pay for costs that resulted from Superstorm Sandy, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) said today.

    The grant will provide $1,616,817 in Federal funding to Sea Girt to pay for 90 percent of over $1,796,000 in repair costs incurred by Superstorm Sandy. 

    According to FEMA, reconstruction will take shape in two phases, after the completion of preliminary work of removing about 6,666 cubic yards of sand by municipal workers, and demolition of the damaged boardwalk by Frank Lurch Demolition. Demolition includes the removal of damaged but intact piles, girders, stringers, plastic decking, railings, and light fixtures. Salvageable decking, light fixtures and railings will be turned over to the town to be reused in the first phase of reconstruction. Sea Girt has contracted with Wallace Contracting, Inc. to complete Phase I, which is 833 linear feet of boardwalk, reusing 896 salvaged deck boards, 320 salvaged timber stringers and 900 feet of salvaged railing. Boardwalk steps and one handicap ramp will be installed, construction includes replacing 50 new, timber piles, 38 new double girder timber pile caps, 360 new timber stringers, 1,030 new lengths of composite boardwalk decking, and 980 feet of new pipe handrail.

    FEMA said the second phase will consist of building 2,335 feet of boardwalk, to be performed by Epic Group, Inc. The work includes 80 new timber piles and pile caps, 1,850 new timber stringers, 5,200 new lengths of composite boardwalk decking, and 10 timber knee braces, as needed. Three beach access stairs will be built, the Philadelphia Boulevard Gazebo and access ramp, as well as the Trenton Boulevard Gazebo and access ramp will be repaired. The Borough has contracted with American Aluminum Casting Company, to replace 1,075 sand cast aluminum stanchions damaged by the storm, and American Custom Fabricators to supply 15,000 feet of aluminum pipe for the railings. Shoreland Construction, Inc. will install the replacement stanchion and railing materials. Additional items to restore the boardwalk are the replacement of 120 park benches, 77 parking bumpers, 10 outdoor showers, 3,168 feet of plumbing, and 10,062 feet of sand fencing extending the full length of the beach.

    “Sea Girt was slammed by Superstorm Sandy,” said Smith, who visited the borough and surrounding area in the wake of Sandy. “The borough needs federal help to pay for reconstruction.”

    At a June meeting in Smith’s Washington Office, Smith personally appealed to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to approve a 90 percent federal share for FEMA funding going to Jersey towns to pay for cleanup costs—instead of the initially planned 75 percent. Fugate approved the 90 percent ratio several weeks later.

    “With the federal government funding 90 percent of the cost of repairs, and the local cost share set at 10 percent, this is a significant help for the people of Sea Girt and the town’s municipal budget,” Smith said, who earlier this year took a lead role in obtaining $60 billion in federal disaster relief funding for Superstorm Sandy victims. The increase in the federal cost-share will save the borough an additional estimated $270,000.

    The funding is being provided by FEMA under authority the Robert T. Stafford Act.

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