Pinellas County holds 'State of the Beaches' conversation after devastating storms
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. - The leaders of several Pinellas County beach communities gathered Thursday for a "State of the Beaches" conversation.
The Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions and the Pinellas Beaches Chamber hosted the event at Madeira Beach City Hall. It included mayors and a vice mayor from Gulfport, Indian Shores, Madeira Beach, Redington Beach and Treasure Island.
These community leaders have joined together for similar discussions in previous years, but never before has the event followed two devastating hurricanes, like Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
What they're saying:
"Us joining together with other smaller beach communities has a bigger impact in terms of collaboration, working with each other and helping each other," said Vice Mayor of Redington Beach Tim Thompson.
Each community is dealing with similar issues, with thousands of homeowners and business owners still rebuilding, repairing and raising their homes and stores.
Those participating agreed that FEMA and permitting issues have caused frustrating delays for many people.
"We're just now really getting permits out, we're six months after the storm, but residents are rebuilding. Residents are knocking their houses down and elevating, building new homes," Thompson said.
Big picture view:
The beaches, meanwhile, are also in far better shape than they were and improving, according to Pinellas Beaches Chamber President Barry Rubin.
"We are moving ahead every single day. We're getting better at what we're doing. Things are opening up every day," Rubin said. "The beaches are opening. The visitors are still coming. They're pouring down. I said to someone not long ago that if you didn't know, you might not know. That's really how we want it to be."
What's next:
Some believe the recovery will likely take several more weeks.
The mayor of Madeira Beach says she had a closed-door meeting with FEMA's director and left with the impression that the director would try to eliminate a lot of the red tape limiting people's ability to get back into their homes and businesses.
The Source: FOX 13’s Aaron Mesmer collected the information in this story.
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