Manatee County officials recognize staff for rapid response to red tide cleanup

Tons of decomposed fish didn’t clean themselves up when Manatee County battled the worst of what seemed to be an endless army of dead marine life.

That was the work of nearly 100 county staff who worked tirelessly to ensure that local waters could return to their natural beauty, Charlie Hunsicker said at Tuesday’s county commission meeting.

The director of natural parks and resources stood at the podium to honor and recognize his department, which took an all-hands-on-deck approach to the cleanup effort.

“It took such a heavy toll on our sea life, but it also took a toll on our employees, who, by the way, were also doing regular jobs at the time,” Hunsicker said. “Forty hours a week and more, but were called upon by the community to get out there and react, as we always do.”

He said he was proud of his staff for stepping up to the task and rattled off a list of achievements that the county accomplished while fending off “the scourge.”

The county’s red tide hotline accepted more than 1,300 calls within 10 days, the county was among the first along Florida’s Gulf Coast to begin mechanically raking beaches and one of the first to provide trash cans for residents willing to assist in the cleanup effort. Hunsicker said each of the 97 employees would receive a teamwork certificate.

Geri Lopez also showered county staff in praise, noting that employees realized local businesses were struggling and made a strong effort to inform them of where they could find assistance. Staff hit the pavement with three business walks, which allowed them to speak face to face with more than 240 businesses.

“At the end of October, Manatee County business had received $800,000 in assistance from the Small Business Administration and the state of Florida’s bridge loan program served over 35 businesses and approved approximately $250,000 worth of loans,” the redevelopment and economic opportunity director said, calling it a “real community effort.”

Visit Florida also recently granted the county $100,000 in funds to be spent on tourism marketing and advertisement.

“I don’t have any of the islands in my district of anything like that but I can tell you even out east, we were affected,” Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said. “I can tell you the smell came all the way out east and I can’t even begin to imagine what it must’ve been like on the water. It just goes to show you that if you look at the job you all did and the difference you all made, it was for all of the county.”

The Board of County Commissioners declared a local state of emergency shortly after red tide began plaguing Manatee County. Recent reports from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission suggest the algae bloom is still a problem in the area.

This story was originally published November 27, 2018 at 6:49 PM.