- City of Perry said their wastewater facility has sustained over $200,000 worth of damage from Hurricane Idalia alone. They have been impacted by all three recent hurricanes.
- Now, they are looking for funding from lawmakers in this year's session to update the facility, a move they believe would help secure the future of the city and county.
- Watch the video to find out why these upgrades matter.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The return to the Capitol for the legislative session is looming for Florida lawmakers. They'll be making some big decisions, including approving the budget that Perry leaders hope will include some economic relief for them.
Now the City of Perry has hired a lobbyist to advocate for needs. I'm looking at one industry where they'd like money to spend and why that assistance is needed.
Updates to roads and utilities are at the top of the priority list for the City of Perry and its lobbyist as the legislative session in Tallahassee draws closer.
"If we don't have the infrastructure to grow, we can't accept any large business that might want to come in if we're at capacity," said Shawn O'Quinn, Superintendent for the City of Perry Wastewater facility.
O'Quinn said its plant has suffered impacts from three hurricanes. He added damage just from Idalia, alone, has cost them over $200,000
Instead of managing 1.25 million gallons of wastewater a day, it was managing close to 3 million gallons with the added rainfall from the storms. That excess has been putting extra wear and tear on their pipes.
"Not just the damage of the storm," said O'Quinn, "but the rain itself, raising the water table, getting in the pipes, the manholes. It kind of overwhelms the plant."
Their needs include a new lift station that pumps wastewater so it can be treated.
Why is wastewater management so important specifically during storms too?
"Well the impact to the environment," said O'Quinn. "I mean we collect raw sewage, and the plant and lift stations have to run or your streets and your creeks and everywhere is going to be full of sewage."
O'Quinn said the City needs to be able to support the growth they want to see following mill closures.
"The city probably lost a million dollars a year directly, and indirectly, through residents who've left," said O'Quinn. " I don't know that number yet."
It's a reality sinking in with Perry residents, like Michael Amaan.
"We just paid our house taxes, it drastically increased, probably $200 to $300 from what it was before," said Amaan.
To afford these bills, Amaan now drives an hour to work every day.
What do you think Perry needs to be able to get back to that normality?
"Hopefully, we can get maybe, possibly a powerplant," said Amaan.
It's investment in the area that city leaders hope they will get from lawmakers during this year's session.
O'Quinn said extra funding is needed to ensure the future of this county.
"If you wanted to move here and you come to this town and you see all these blue tarps and all these downed trees, it's ugly," said O'Quinn. "You're not going to want to be here, you're not going to want to start a business here, you're not going to want to live here, raise a family here."
Governor Ron DeSantis announced a special session Monday for the week of January 27th. While his main focus looks to be illegal immigration, he has said disaster relief should be addressed. This could start discussions about hurricane recovery funds even earlier for rural areas like Taylor County, depending on how lawmakers respond.
