- FEMA has officially obligated funding to rebuild the Mashes Sands Pier, which was damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018.
- Project may require rebidding due to a shift from repair to full replacement, pending review by the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
- Watch the video to hear what local officials and neighbors have to say about this next step.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
After years of delays, the long-awaited reconstruction of the Mashes Sands Pier in Wakulla County is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The pier, heavily damaged during Hurricane Michael in 2018, has sat unusable for nearly seven years. Local residents have been eagerly awaiting its return. Now, with FEMA officially obligating the funding for construction, momentum is building again.
But before construction can begin, the Florida Division of Emergency Management must determine whether the project needs to be bidded out again. What was once planned as a repair has now evolved into a full replacement, a change that could affect the project timeline.
Over the past two years, neighbors in Panacea have voiced both their frustration and hope. One of them, Jim Cook, said the latest development is welcome news — but he’s still waiting to see firm action.
“This is a positive. Now where’s the next step? Give me dates, give me something definite. Then I’ll feel better,” said Cook.
Wakulla County Commissioner Ralph Thomas says the process has been complicated, and setbacks over the years have tested the community’s patience.
“In 2020 Congressmen Neal Dunn managed to get the funding for us so we were very excited and that was authorized and we started the process, we turned in our grant it was all approved and we thought it was funded but then it got pulled back there were some discrepancies that DEM and FEMA had so they pulled it and we had to resubmit the grant,” Thomas explained.
That reset the process, forcing the county to start over. But recently, Thomas said, there’s been a significant breakthrough.
“Last week we reached out to FEMA to check the status of this and at that time we were told we were done with environmental studies and the only thing remaining was obligation of the funds and they expected they’d be obligated by the end of this month so that was a great move forward,” he said.
For community members like Jim Cook, the pier represents more than just a fishing spot.
“It gives people without boats a way to fish, it helps local businesses so there’s just a lot of pluses,” said Cook.
As Wakulla County waits on the final green light, residents remain hopeful that this long-delayed project will soon bring the Mashes Sands Pier and its many benefits back to the community.
Stay with us for updates as construction plans move forward.
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