Chamber president: ‘We have storm fatigue setting in on Pine Island’
The recent and seemingly ongoing post-hurricane cleanup is taking its toll on islanders in every Pine Island community, said Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce Board President and Bokeelia Custom Apparel, Island Brew Promotions owner Dave Conner, who had 4 feet of flood water in his own house.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton have rightly caused some consternation among the chamber board members for Pine Island business owners, most of whom were still trying to come back from 2022’s Hurricane Ian when Helene and Milton blew through town.
“We had a meeting with the secretary of commerce of the state of Florida,” Conner said, voicing his personal concern over businesses in Matlacha.
The fact that many buildings in Matlacha are categorized historical, Conner said, seems to be causing a large issue in that rebuilding them in any other way could be legally prohibited.
Building owners are tired of re-building just to be blown down by another storm, Conner said.
Many Pine Islanders were still without power or water as of mid-October, Conner explained, leaving businesses, such as Blue Dog Bar and Grill, who are ready to have a post-storm opening, with their hands tied. He surmises that although many restaurants are likely to come back, many of the Matlacha retail businesses may have been hit too hard to return.
“Matlacha is the gateway to everything on the island. You can’t get that fixed and cleaned up and the bridge done — it’s a long recovery,” Conner said.
After current issues, such as a satisfactory way to deal with the historical society in Matlacha, have been addressed, some people can build back properly, Conner said, islanders can focus on Matlacha. The answer for Pine Island this time around, he stressed, does not lie in the ability to obtain loans, but by acquiring grant money, if there are any programs out there.
“These people can’t afford more debt,” Conner said.
He reminded islanders that the chamber has the art auction coming up at Tarpon Lodge, which was postponed from Saturday, Oct. 12, although folks can still bid online, and also the Stone Crab Fest, which should have been held on Nov. 10 is now TBD.
“We will try to confirm a new date in either December or possibly January,” Conner said.