TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - More than four days after Hurricane Hermine made landfall near Saint Marks, 18,000 people in Florida are still in the dark with under 10,000 of those in the capitol city.
Statewide, electricity has be restored to 90 percent of residents who lost power. Throughout the recovery process, a rift has grown between Governor Rick Scott and Tallahassee city leaders about the speed of the response to the storm.
Governor Scott said that more utility and tree removal crews need to help restore power, while local officials said too much help could actually slow recovery.
During an emergency meeting of the Tallahassee City Commission Tuesday, Mayor Andrew Gillum told residents the response could have been better, but significant damage to large trees and major power lines means the recovery process will take time.
"Help is still on the way. Do not lose faith in the process. There are folks who are working around the clock to make sure that we can cure that issue," said Mayor Gillum.
Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox said there was clearly a need to discuss why the recovery process has been perceived as slow and to learn what can be done better during a future storm. Though, he felt in the midst of recovery was not the right time.
Maddox said, "Let the people who don't have to do this work snipe, and there will be sniping. So what. Let's go get those 14 thousand people power."
Initially after Hurricane Hermine hit early Friday, there were nearly 160,000 homes without electricity across the state.
