As the pumping of flood waters continues in Suwannee County, workers canvass the community assessing damages and formulating plans to return the county back to normal.

According to Suwannee County Coordinator Randy Harris, three teams were out assessing the damages to the county’s infrastructures on Thursday. Harris said that for a few days, one representative from the Florida Department of Transportation attempted to assess such damages, but due to the magnitude of those damages, additional DOT workers were brought in to assist. Employees from the Suwannee County Road Department have teamed up with DOT personnel and three teams are out assessing damages, according to Harris.

Harris welcomes the state’s assistance and noted that the DOT has contracted for repairs to begin on some county roads. According to Harris, the DOT was working Thursday morning to aid the county in providing additional materials, specifically lime rock, and additional dump trucks to expedite repairs to the county’s roadways.

In addition to the teams assessing damages to roadways, Harris acknowledged one team is assessing and evaluating bridge damages while another assesses sinkhole damages on public rights-of-way.

According to Harris, Suwannee County Public Works employees continue the task of opening closed roads so residents will have better access to their homes.
A current list of closed roads is always available at http://www.suwcounty.org/.

“The county is still trying to open closed roads, if only for single lane use,” Harris commented.

 As public works employees work diligently to restore the county’s roadways, much of the county’s power has been restored.

Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative, Inc. Community Relations Manager Tom Tuckey said that SVEC had resumed normal operations on July 3. According to Tuckey, the cooperative had a total of 9,096 consumers who experienced power outages because of Tropical Storm Debby in the four counties it serves. Tuckey stated that of those 9,096 consumers, 6,021 were located in Suwannee County.

According to Tuckey, SVEC has been challenged with the opening of some sinkholes following Debby’s path through north Florida. As a result, SVEC crews have moved poles and conductors away from those sinkholes.

“At this time, we have approximately 60 electric meters located in our service area that are not reporting due to flood damage,” Tuckey explained. “These meters may or may not have electric service, but until we can gain access to the infrastructure, we just don’t know yet.”

Tuckey stated that once the flood waters subside and roads are passable, SVEC will have a better handle on the outcome of the extent of the storm’s damage.

Less than one day after Debby, 98 percent of Florida Power & Light Company customers in Suwannee County had their power restored. All FPL customers are back up and running as far as the company knows. FPL said they had 1,400 workers employed pre and post-Debby, plus 450 from other agencies for a total of 1,850 workers.

Downtown businesses continue to remodel and most of them are open for business. Faye’s Flowers is open and expediting orders as repairs are made to the building, Kathleen Googe confirmed Thursday afternoon. Suwannee Antiques should be open for regular hours in just a few weeks after repairs are made and owner Nancy Boatright McCullers can set up shop, she said. The New U Fitness, Stewart’s Barber Shop, The Frame Shop and Gallery, Xin Ming Chinese Restaurant, Sellers Taylor and Morrison, P.A. Attorneys at Law, J. Sherman Frier and Associates, GTC Design Group and Hal Airth are all open for business as well. The Howle Law Firm is open by appointment.

Other downtown businesses remain closed at this point. Remodeling efforts continue at The Downtown Cafe following the storm. Owners Mark and Tina Saleh hope to open their doors soon.

Barney Everett remains unsure about the future of The Big Wheel Market Place after the structure in which it was located has been deemed unsafe due to a possible sinkhole behind his building on Warren Street.

“I know things are going to work out and if it is God’s plan to reopen somewhere we will. We enjoy the people in Live Oak,” Everett emphasized.

Everett stated that he and his wife would like to remain downtown.

“If we can help downtown and help ourselves, we want to do that,” he said. “We would also like to be able to keep events such as June Bug and Flea Across Florida in Live Oak (in which Everett organizes).”

While Everett ponders the future of his business, he remains very concerned about the cats from the downtown area. In January, Everett helped organize a campaign throughout the city to save the stray cats. His goal was to spay and neuter ferrel cats, as well as adopt them out to good homes.

According to Everett, all the cats have been saved and moved to another location, but donations are still needed to feed the animals until they can be placed in good homes. Everett stressed that over 40 healthy kittens need adopting. He can be reached at (386) 364-1006 for more details.

Whether assessing roadway damages, restoring power, remodeling structures or finding a home for displaced kittens, Suwannee County continues its efforts in assessing and overcoming the wrath of Debby. While it will take time, the wheels are beginning to turn in effort to return Suwannee County back to normal.