Mexico Beach Bounces Back: Rebuilding An Unforgettable Coast

BY: MELISSA LUPTON, VP OF GOVERNMENTAL/MILITARY AFFAIRS

You may associate the two miles of sugar-white sand in Mexico Beach as the “forgotten coast”, but I can assure you it is anything but. On October 10, 2018, Hurricane Michael introduced himself to the beautiful community that is Bay County. He dragged his feet while making a destructive journey north, throwing the strongest right hook the Gulf Coast has seen since Andrew paid his visit in 1992. Unfortunately, Mexico Beach and their neighbor to the west, Tyndall Air Force Base, took the brunt of that strong arm. I think I can speak for everyone who was affected when saying the word devastation cannot begin to describe the conditions Michael left Bay County in.

Prior to Michael’s memorable visit, the quiet town of Mexico Beach was home to about 1,200 citizens, a majority of which being retirees, with a handful of shops and restaurants. On October 11, 2018, Mexico Beach was left with next to nothing. Looking at the almost leveled community, I’m sure anyone who laid eyes on it had to have the thought of “what do we do now?” If you answered “rebuild the community back to the peaceful family-friendly city it has always been, but with much stronger weather resiliency” then you would be correct. There are still many hurdles to overcome, however, Mexico Beach has certainly made noticeable headway on its rebuild efforts.

It all starts with community strength and enlightened leadership. The Mexico Beach City Government was not only facing the grueling task of rebuilding an entire city from the ground up, but doing so with a short supply of staff members. While small, this group of staff members has proven themselves to be mighty. “What has been accomplished since the storm is truly unbelievable and part of what’s unbelievable is our staff. We only have 35 City employees. To do all of this work with only 35 people is incredible,” said City Manager, Mario Gisbert. Saying the city had to be rebuilt from the ground up, was not just a figure of speech. The entire water and sewer system had to be reconstructed on top of addressing the fact that 85% of buildings within the city were uninhabitable or simply nonexistent. Nonexistent by means of the structure eventually being located miles away from its original foundation.

Over the past 3 years, there have been 251 new homes constructed, 861 homes rehabilitated, and 22 newly constructed and/or rehabilitated commercial buildings. City employees may not be the ones turning the dirt, but they have certainly been feeling the effects of the massive uptick in construction projects from the personal, public, and private sectors. Due to rebuilding efforts and federal dollars, the City’s annual budget is now roughly 90% larger than in years prior to the storm. The permitting and utility departments are processing nearly 2,400% more permits and water hookups over a pre-storm year, and the city has noticed an increased need for first responders. Gisbert certainly was not exaggerating when saying the progress that has been made is truly incredible.

The light at the end of the tunnel is visible, but there is still much more work ahead. Plans are in the works to construct a new fire station and sheriffs’ office, as well as a new civic center. These facilities will be centrally located and farther inland than where they previously resided, reducing the chance of storm surge affecting the facilities. The location is key for the civic center as it will be the City’s first storm shelter to be available for citizens. Additional projects that are down the pipeline include the reconstruction of the City Marina, the reconstruction of Sunset Park, and the reconstruction of the City Pier and Jettys. There are of course additional projects to improve existing infrastructure and better protect the community from future weather incidents.

Patience is said to be a key element throughout the rebuild process. With that in mind, what motivates someone to keep the engine running? Gisbert stated “seeing something that was nothing more than 3 words on a piece of paper that says ‘Rebuild Sunset Park’ to look at the drawings of Sunset Park and a year from now being able to walk through Sunset Park. That’s the gift to me.

Starting from absolutely nothing more than an idea and seeing it to fruition.” Managing an endeavor of this magnitude with such an extensive timeline clearly isn’t easy, however it is made less challenging when accompanied by those who will step up to the plate and get the work done. With a staff dedicated to the comfort and prosperity of its community, contractors continuing to take on the jobs that may be a little out of their normal commutes, and neighboring community’s willingness to help when and where needed, it’s clear that this coast was never forgotten.

So, if you have not already, take a trip to see the “new” Mexico Beach, make a pit stop at their brand-new Visitor’s Center and ask about all of the exciting events that are to come, grab a bite to eat while enjoying the view of their freshly planted local vegetation. Bring your family and enjoy one of their twelve new beach accesses for a relaxing day in the sun or maybe even enjoy a staycation at any one of the vacation rentals that are open for business. The buildings are new, but the spirit of the community remains the same on this unforgettable coast.