Manatee County residents voice concerns during community flooding and development forum: ‘There’s still water’ [Video]

PARRISH, Fla. – Manatee County residents, environmentalists, and activists hosted a community flooding and development forum following record flooding in communities during Hurricane Debby.

Hundreds filled the Parrish United Methodist Church on Saturday evening to listen to multiple speakers. Residents were in attendance for a variety of reasons.

“There’s still so many questions. Things that people don’t understand,” said Stacy Jessee, Co-Founder of the East Manatee Preservation Association.

Parrish resident Anna Ritzenthaler said things have not improved since Debby. She said with afternoon showers, her community can’t catch a break.

“We still have a lot of flooding. There’s still water. It’s completely saturated,” she shared.

READ: Mote Marine documents impacts from Debby on Sarasota Bay

With the exception of her home, almost everything on her property was destroyed.

“We lost chickens. We lost tools. Our shed was completely destroyed,” said Ritzenthaler.

Dalton Nelson was a guest speaker at the forum.

“What has changed? The …