Town receives $1,033,411.50 reimbursement

The town received a check totaling $1,033,411.50 last week as a partial reimbursement for beach erosion sustained by the town’s shoreline during Tropical Storm Fay. According to a Dec. 23 email from Public Works Director Juan Florensa, FEMA and the state of Florida disbursed the funds after reviewing invoices submitted by the town’s finance department.

Fay came ashore near Naples in August 2008 and brought little wind or rainfall to Longboat Key at the time. But the island suffered massive sand loss when the storm turned back around and entered the Gulf again near the Panhandle, with damages totaling approximately $2 million.

Florensa wrote that the town expects a second reimbursement of $172,235 in the near future.

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].