The Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 19 voted 5-0 to authorize a formal request for FEMACommunity Recovery Plan assistance, directing county staff to work with FEMA to form a local planning committee.
FEMA community planning specialist Mark Leese told the board FEMA would work with a small local committee "maybe up to 12, but I can handle this with a smaller number, you know, 5 or 6," meet every other week for roughly two-hour sessions, "kick it off with a big community meeting where we collect all the issues," and assemble project descriptions, champions, funding sources, schedules and budgets into a community plan in about three to four months, with a practical target of finishing before Thanksgiving.
The plan is intended to translate community priorities into specific projects and funding steps, Leese said, and the board identified county staff and local officials to help recruit committee members and stakeholders.
Public commenters raised concerns about FEMA. Moses Sleeper, who identified himself as representing "We the People of North Central Florida," said, "I don't think I'm the only one in the room that realizes that FEMA's untrustworthy," and a second resident urged the board to "make sure you know all the strings attached" before moving forward.
Commissioner White made the motion to approve the formal request and Commissioner Mobley seconded; the motion passed unanimously.
The board and FEMA agreed meetings and deliverables would be publicly noticed; Leese said the process is action-oriented and focused on bringing projects to funding-ready status.