Ford upset with Fort White treatment, says county not proactive
Columbia County Commissioners asked the chair and county staff for more specific communication and more accurate information in regard to relief supplies and actions provided by the state and county to local residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The request came at high volume from Commissioners Rocky Ford and Tim Murphy and at a milder tone from Commissioner Robby Hollingsworth, but were directed at Commission Chair Ron Williams, County Manager David Kraus and Emergency Management Director Shayne Morgan.
Ford was most vocal and upset, as he saw it, that Fort White and the south end of the county were not seeing the same amenities of portable showers and laundry facilities, ice and MRE deliveries for residents being ready as quickly as they were in Lake City and locations in the northern parts of the county.
Ford was adamant the need of his constituents was just as important and the south end of the county was hit hard and mattered.
“Our biggest issue is getting people what they need to survive — food, water, ice,” Ford said. “People need what they need to survive. The trees (down) can wait till next week or the week after.”
Ford mentioned it was still very hot, late summer, with temperatures in the low 90s and people with no electricity for air conditioning or fans and the report from the rural power company was part of their grid in the south end of the county, especially the Three Rivers area, might need to be reconstructed.
Ford said the thing that irritated him equally as much as seeing his constituents neglected was the fact the county in meetings several weeks ago discussed in detail being proactive toward potential disasters and having extra items ordered and ready just in case a disaster such as Hurricane Helene struck.
“We were supposed to be proactive. We talked about this. Now we’re not,” Ford said, looking at Kraus and Williams. “This is not good.”
Morgan said relief was en route the same day and was ordered according to state emergency management protocol.
“There is an ice truck en route to Columbia County now,” Morgan said. “Fort White can be its first stop. And, it can be the first stop in the morning from 8 a.m.-noon, then it can be at Winfield at 1 p.m. (Sunday).”
Morgan said he would have to order another truck to deliver free ice for residents to be dispersed in Deep Creek.
Ford asked Morgan if he would check with Fort White High School officials to see if the showers in the school’s locker rooms could be used by the public, as they were during hurricane recovery last year. Ford asked this since the state’s contractor for the portable showers had not set up the showers as promised in Fort White, as of the meeting Saturday afternoon. Morgan told commissioners he would make calls immediately to school officials.
Commissioner Everett Phillips quietly chimed in nothing had been delivered to distribution points in Mason City or Lulu for residents in his district.
Kraus said nothing during the exchange, keeping his head on a swivel and nodding, as commissioners talked.
“We’ve dropped the bucket on this one,” Williams said. “We should have planned better. I agree with Commissioner Ford.”
Ford was not finished.
“The message was clear,” Ford said. “We were going to be proactive. We were going to be ready and prepared to push the button and order (supplies). We knew several days before and it wasn’t done. This cannot happen.”
Murphy’s point of contention was about the delivery of state supplies and the fumble of the exchange once trucks arrived in Lake City. He said the relief items, mainly a semi truckload of tarps, were not transferred properly and the local drivers were not given any information about where to go or who to contact for more information.
“The tarps are here. They were delivered,” Murphy said. “The county, we didn’t know what to do with them when they got here. … The driver has an empty truck, doesn’t know where to go, or who he answers to … We are better than this.”
Hollingsworth simplified the barrage of complaints.
“It’s communication. That’s the issue,” Hollingsworth said. “If it’s not there, don’t tell us it is there. I don’t want to lie to anyone. Don’t tell me it’s coming. Tell me when it’s there.”
The county commission will meet daily to discuss the recovery progress of Hurricane Helene recovery for the near future, Williams said. Commissioners will meet at 4 p.m. Sunday at the EOC building.