Lee County's Board of Commissioners got together this week to talk about ongoing Hurricane Irma recovery efforts.
The board sent a letter to the White House on Tuesday, saying the county needs more money and more flexibility from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
RELATED: Lee County Asks White House For More FEMA Help
But in the meantime, progress is being made in the cleanup process. Over 500,000 cubic yards of vegetation debris has been picked up.
And now, Lee County’s Natural ResourcesDirector Roland Ottolini said research and analysis are being done on how to mitigate the risk of flooding in areas, like Bonita Springs, where residents contended with flood conditions for weeks after the hurricane had passed.
“We’re out there assessing the area right now. A lot of the larger fixes you hear about—berming here, diverting there, structural improvements—can be very costly," said Ottolini. "So we need to make sure that what we’re investing in is actually going to be a beneficial return and indeed going to lower flooding events.”
But Commissioner Larry Kiker, who represents Bonita Springs, Estero and Fort Myers Beach, admits he gets weary hearing about talk of research when his constituents are still dealing with property loss.
“As soon as I hear the word ‘analysis’, ‘consulting’, we’re fixing to run into a bureaucratic wall and nothing’s going to get done," said Kiker. "In that sense, I think people need to take comfort in the fact that things are being done.”
Commissioner Frank Mann said in the future, development needs to stop happening on wetlands and flood-prone areas.
“When you get a 12-to-15 inch rain even over a short period of time, we find out that Mother Nature is still in charge," said Mann. "And indeed, these are still swamps and they will still flood, no matter that they look like condominiums or a shopping center.”
In Lee County, more than 100 people remain in the Estero shelter, which will close Saturday, Oct. 21.
For updates about Hurricane Irma recovery in Lee County, go here.
