More than $30 million coming directly to Bay County from State

Panama City, Florida – The Bay County Commission, several Bay County municipalities, Bay District Schools and area nonprofits received more than $30 million in budget appropriations from the Florida Legislature as the 2019 session came to a close last week. The Legislature also earmarked another $115 million in funds specifically for affordable housing for the hurricane-hit area as well as an additional $25 million in grants for counties and cities event wide.

“We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our legislative delegation members, Sen. George Gainer and Reps. Jay Trumbull and Brad Drake, and also the work of so many other legislators who came to the table to assist the Panhandle following this unprecedented disaster,” Bay County Commission Chairman Philip “Griff” Griffitts said. “This funding is absolutely critical in helping this area recover, and we are so grateful that our state leaders came through for us.”

The Bay County Board of County Commissioners requested funding for almost a dozen infrastructure and recovery projects at the start of the session, and many of those were approved at the budget’s final tally, amounting to more than $9 million in direct aid to Bay County government. The appropriations include:

Bay County road repairs: $3.78 million

This project will provide assistance with the county’s post-Hurricane Michael costs to repair roads, street signs, and traffic lights. Hurricane Michael destroyed more than 10,000 road signs and hardware and 120 traffic signals. With $20 million in damage to asphalt roads along, the total cost of road and traffic repairs is more than $50 million, of which Bay County is responsible for 12.5 percent.

Bay County Sheriff’s Office building: $1.4 million

This funding will benefit the Bay County Sheriff’s Office via the construction of a safe storage location capable of withstanding catastrophic winds, protecting specialty equipment and providing a suitable location to effectively train law-enforcement officers. The facility will also serve as a bunker during catastrophic events.

Bay County building repairs: $1.35 million

This project will provide Bay County assistance with the cost of repairs to buildings damaged by Hurricane Michael. Current estimates to repair or replace all structures is $18 million, including $8 million for the Bay County Jail. Bay County is responsible for 12.5 percent of this figure.

Bay County storm-water facility repairs: $1.5 million

Hurricane Michael deposited tons of sediment and debris in the county’s storm drains and sewers. Many storm-water facilities were also damaged or destroyed. The total costs of the repairs exceed $17 million, of which Bay County is responsible for 12.5 percent.

Bay County emergency protective measures: $550,000

This funding will assist Bay County in paying for its share of emergency protective measures taken before, during and after Hurricane Michael to warn residents, reduce disaster damages, ensure the continuation of essential public services and protect lives and public health or safety. Such items as sheltering, mass care, search and rescue, emergency medical care and activation of the Emergency Operations Center would qualify for this funding.

East Bay dredge: $500,000

A project to dredge the launch basin and navigational channel in East Bay will increase and improve economic activity for the county, creating specific, immediate job opportunities and improving transportation conditions in the area.

The Legislature also approved a total of $115 million aimed at improving the ongoing housing crisis in Bay County. From the Local Government Housing Trust Fund, $65 million in nonrecurring funds will assist in hurricane recovery, including assistance to homeowners in paying insurance deductibles; repair, replacement, and relocation assistance for manufactured homes, acquisition of building materials for home repairs and construction; housing re-entry assistance, such as security and utilities deposits; and monthly rental assistance. Another $50 million in funding from the State Housing Trust Fund is intended for use by the Rental Recovery Loan Program, which assists developers in acquiring gap funding to construct affordable housing.

A $25 million appropriation to fund a Hurricane Michael Recovery Grant Program will assist local governments throughout the affected region in mitigating revenue losses and operating deficits, infrastructure repair and replacement, beach renourishment and debris removal.