Local officials believe it’s best for the city to put the majority of its focus on four high-priority Hurricane Michael-related projects.
Panama City commissioners on Tuesday voted to restructure more than $14.292 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help these projects gain momentum. They are the reconstruction of the Martin Luther King Jr Rec Center, Carl Gray Park, vehicle maintenance facility and Martin Theatre.
The consolidated money that will be used on these projects originally was for 21 other FEMA projects related to the Category 5 storm of October 2018.
“We had a strategic priorities workshop, and out of that workshop we identified what our key priorities were, and which ones we would tackle first,” Commissioner Josh Street said. “Part of getting there is having the funding to get there, and combining (funding from these other) projects into these key priorities is what’s allowing us to move forward.
“Consolidating will reduce the amount of administration that it takes to complete these projects. It allows us to streamline the process.”
According to the meeting’s agenda, the MLK Center has 14 donor projects, adding up to about $11.891 million in funding. This adds to about $4.732 million in FEMA funds the city already has for the center’s reconstruction. Its 14 donor projects are:
- About $5.574 million from the former City Hall project
- About $1.625 million from the police department clubhouse project
- About $1.619 million from the contents, equipment, supplies project
- About $797,180 from the Bay Memorial Park project
- About $663,813 from the Daffin Park project
- About $413,431 from the Joe Moody Park project
- About $412,657 from the Woods Ball Field project
- About $312,056 from the Lannie Rowe Park project
- About $309,583 from the Mulberry DMS site project
- About $252,641 from the Henry Davis Park project
- About $174,777 from the PC Marina store project
- About $169,086 from the Beck Avenue decorative lighting repairs project
- About $136,174 from the storm water system project
- About $60,406 from the lift station damage project.
Carl Gray Park has four donor projects, adding up to about $1.414 million in funding. This adds to about $703,573 in FEMA funds the city already has for the park’s reconstruction. Its four donor projects are:
- About $763,663 from the multiple parks city-wide project
- About $312,056 from the Lannie Rowe Park project
- About $174,058 from the Millville Waterfront Park project
- About $164,490 from repairs to facilities in the multiple parks city-wide project
The vehicle maintenance facility has two donor projects, adding up to about $512,574 in funding. This adds to about $535,208 in FEMA funds the city already has for the facility’s reconstruction. Its two donor projects are:
- About $262,852 from the traffic and stop sign project
- About $249,722 from the vehicles and equipment project
Martin Theatre has only one donor project, which is about $474,294 from the former City Hall annex project. This adds to about $13.304 million in FEMA funds the city already has secured for the theater’s reconstruction.
“You don’t always have to go back as is, as was with what you repair,” Street said. “That’s probably the process that’s easiest for FEMA, but given at this point in time where we’re at in the stage of our recovery, (and) how long it’s taken us to get to this point in time, the commission made a very intentional decision that we’re going to start getting projects executed.
“That means that we’ve got to start combining funding and really focusing on key priorities.”
Source : Newsherald
