MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – The damage Debby left behind is completely unprecedented for many people who live along the Suncoast, including those who have lived here their whole lives.
“What I saw was on another level I hadn’t actually seen before,” said Parrish resident Chris Whittaker, who is one of many now searching for answers and solutions.
“It definitely made me question why the impacts were so great,” he said.
Impacts many blame on the decisions made by those in charge.
“You can kind of see the direction our community is going. And I think there is definitely concern to find out what we can do better, to make the future better for the community,” Whittaker said.
Debby is now leading to calls for sweeping improvements to the area’s infrastructure.
“Traffic, sewage, flooding, all of it needs to be addressed,” said Michele English, which is why she is organizing a Flooding and Development Community Forum this weekend at Parish United Methodist Church.
English described the goals of the meeting, saying, “Work together, gaining information to be able to fight what we are going through here in the whole county.”
A big part of the meeting is equipping residents with the tools to make a difference.
Those in attendance will be asked to fill out a questionnaire documenting specific issues they are facing. The responses will then be collected and sent to the proper department in local government.
Something English believes will lead to meaningful change.
“We’ve pulled this together to try to make a difference, so please come out,” she said.
The meeting is on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Parrish United Methodist Church. All Manatee County residents are invited to attend.
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