- February 6, 2025
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After the debris-removal projects brought on by Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma, Port Orange has been waiting on $7 million worth of reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Port Orange Assistant City Manager Alan Rosen and City Councilman Chase Tramont joined other city and county representatives during Volusia Days in Tallahassee to lobby for city-related projects and bills. Rosen and Tramont spoke with the Legislature and employees of the FEMA about the timeline for reimbursement and were informed that the first allocated funds of $2.6 million have been approved for Port Orange.
"We have had some really positive sessions," Rosen said. "Most of the people we talked to were sponsors of the bills we were pushing for anyway, so we were there to meet face to face to know the deep issues and know if there are any ways we can help get those bills passed."
Drainage request: $750,000
Another priority for Rosen and Tramont was the Virginia Avenue and Monroe Street drainage and stormwater quality project in Port Orange. Last year, the city asked for $1.5 million to help with flooding in this area; $750,000 was granted, so they were there to ask for the remaining $750,000.
The money would go toward improving stormwater infrastructure, with the goal of mitigating flooding, in addition to reducing the nutrients going into the Halifax River.
"It's a huge project, so we're trying to get as much money as we can to help us out," Rosen said.
Home Rule
Volusia Days also provided Rosen and Tramont an opportunity to discuss the city's growing concern over several bills in recent years that infringe on home rule.
"That really, in some cases, ties the hands of local government, where Tallahassee makes decisions that would be one size fits all for every city in the state, thus eroding local government authority," Tramont said.
One example: The state does not allow cities to make their own regulations regarding smoking in parks. City officials are pushing for a new bill that would change that.
"We feel like that's very important for the health of our residents and the enjoyment of people in our parks," Rosen said. "Not just in our city but across the state."
