Weekly Highlights Report Oct. 14, 2022

City Manager

City Manager Column – Substantial progress towards normalization is being made in the City of Punta Gorda. The City’s divisions and departments are working hard to get the City back to its usual beautiful condition. Most importantly, the City’s water and sewer are meeting the needs of residents in the community. Sanitation has resumed regular services, and Waste Management’s pickup of recyclable items has resumed. Debris haulers have mapped the City into six zones, with work performed simultaneously in each zone. The current plan includes two passes of the City for debris removal. Seawall assessments are nearing completions with 100’s of locations noted for damage, and some of the worst already beginning reconstruction. The process of calculating total need for seawall repair and securing contractor services is likewise moving forward quickly.

Having spent plenty of time hands-on in our various departments, I have witnessed extreme innovation and creativity to meet the challenges that Hurricane Ian has induced. Our IT’s GIS services employees positively impacted storm response through efforts to build, adapt, train, and provide support using ESRI’s Survey123 program to capture, classify and track damage assessments during the First In Team initial push. The amount of time saved using this tool drastically reduced the time to report and dramatically increased the speed with which City resources could respond. The speedy recovery and accurate dispatching of state assets to damaged locations based on severity was led by the data put into Survey123. A daily internal report is published with real-time data that has allowed for prioritization of road clearing and ease of finding damage to property needing response within the City.

My temporary residence, along with other key city staff members, was a hardened building at one of our facility campuses. We have designated areas to insure continuity of operations for City response and recovery operations. Meeting daily, with key objectives in mind, and progressively implementing strategic goals, I had the opportunity to see firsthand the caliber of
decision-making and operational prowess used during the hurricane response. I could not be more impressed with the efforts made by our staff to respond to every obstacle that was put in their way in the days after the storm. From securing and integrating generators, to the strategy behind when each piece of equipment could be brought online, it reaffirmed the caliber of people we have working for this City.

Our three-member human resources team has also been put through the paces. Property damage to city buildings has been inventoried, and a claims adjustor has been on site for several days. In addition to landscaping, fences, and park furnishing damages, actual damage to buildings is extensive. The A.C. Freeman House and the Historic City Hall had additional damage. The Public Safety building and Fire Stations suffered the effects of Hurricane Ian. The Bayfront Center and YMCA Operation Cooper Street were damaged. The Utilities Building on Cooper Street has roof damage. The Herald Court Parking Garage suffered water and wind damage. Laishley Marina offices, the Water Treatment plant, and the Wastewater Treatment plant have been damaged. A Canal Maintenance Barn was destroyed. City Hall Annex had significant roof damage that led to water intrusion. The third floor, except for IT, has been relocated while repairs are underway. The City Managers’ Office is temporarily relocated to 150 Laishley Drive in Punta Gorda given the loss of our assets.

As we move from damage response and assessment to damage recovery and rebuilding, we do so through the lens of our mission: To preserve and enhance Punta Gorda’s identity as a vibrant waterfront community, unique in character and history, and as a desirable place to live, work and visit. We have heartfelt sorrow for our citizens needing help and for the losses we have suffered. There is a lot of work in front of us and we are up for the challenge. Readers may reach City Manager Greg Murray at [email protected] or by calling the main office line at (941) 575-3302.

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