Fort Myers Beach receives state funding to improve flood management

Fort Myers Beach, still scarred by Hurricane Ian nearly four years later, has received $400,000 in state funding, with $150,000 designated for stormwater management improvements.

Fred Mallone, owner of Buffalo Grill, reflected on the impact of the hurricane.

"I've been coming out for 20 years, so my reactions were shock and awe," Mallone said.

Mallone described the flooding issues that have persisted in the area since the storm.

"We've had to pull out, and the flooding down here, it gets quite bad. It truly comes right through Times Square and just floods everything," Mallone said.

Despite the funding, Mallone expressed doubts about its ability to prevent flooding.

"You're not going to prevent flooding. There's just nothing you can do," he said.

Lisa Miller, a longtime visitor to Fort Myers Beach, shared her optimism about the funding.

"I'm glad it's finally coming, and hopefully that will rectify any issues with, you know, future storms," Miller said.

David and Lisa Miller, who have been visiting Fort Myers Beach for a decade, noted the visible storm damage in Times Square.

"It's like under construction still. And there isn't a lot here, you know, not much here at the beach," David Miller said.

The timeline for construction related to the stormwater project is not yet available.