Volusia County, FL - In Thursday's meeting, the County Council again discussed Hurricane Matthew and it's impact here.
Chairman Jason P. Davis warned the public to be careful when looking for contractors.
The council approved the waiving of permit fees for those within the county whose homes suffered storm-related damage.
County Manager Jim Dinneen said the response to the hurricane was the best effort he's ever seen in his career of people working together. He also said the efforts of the media to get the word out probably saved lives.
According to Volusia County Emergency Management Director Jim Judge, we got lucky. "We didn't dodge a bullet, we dodged a cannonball. One of the meteorologists with the National Weather Service said that 30 miles was the difference of being a planet away. All the severe Category 3 storm winds stayed off the coast."
According to Dinneen, 92% of those who lost power got it back within 48 hours.
Estimates put the cost of debris removal at $10.4 million, but FEMA will foot 75% of that bill. Dinneen said it could take up to 20 days before all the debris is cleared. The debris may be an eyesore, but it's not a health or safety hazard.
After a lengthy discussion, the council approved using reserve funds to help with debris pick-up on private roads.
Photo courtesy Elena Fernandez Z and Shutterstock.com.
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