Martin County commissioners gathered Tuesday morning in the commission chambers as residents of Jensen Beach voiced urgent concerns about persistent flooding that has left homes inundated with water and sewage. Long‑time resident Mary Berner, who has raised her family in the area for four decades, described watching “everything we worked for become submerged” during recent rain events.
Residents describe dire conditions
Lisa French, another homeowner, said, “Today, we’re homeless. We have no one else. Thanksgiving. We have nowhere to have Christmas. We don’t have much to come home to.” The sentiment echoed throughout the meeting, with many families describing damaged foundations, ruined possessions, and the emotional toll of living in flood‑prone neighborhoods.
Several attendees questioned whether recent development and aging drainage infrastructure contributed to the problem. Yamila Rollan Escalona of the Yaya por Vida Foundation highlighted the lack of visible response, noting that historic Black neighborhoods have seen “standing water, no pumps, no headlines, not a peep on social media,” drawing a comparison to the delayed response after Hurricane Katrina.
County officials outline immediate actions
Commissioner Sarah Heard responded promptly, assuring residents that crews are pumping water around the clock and that addressing the immediate emergency is the top priority. “Jensen Beach residents, we’ve heard you loud and clear. You are our top priority,” Heard said.
County leaders also announced plans to review the county’s warning system and to revisit flood mitigation strategies at the next commission meeting. They indicated that additional funding could be allocated to staff and equipment to improve the speed and efficiency of water removal.
Proposed long‑term solutions
Meeting participants suggested consolidating management of the nearby Savannas under a single agency, such as the South Florida Water Management District, to treat the area as a unified watershed. Others called for exploring new drainage options, including additional pump stations and upgraded culverts, to reduce future flood risk.
Resident Kyle Pond urged the commission to make “additional funding available to your staff today to mitigate this emergency as efficiently as possible,” emphasizing the need for swift, well‑resourced action.
Next steps
The commission pledged to provide updates on progress and potential grant programs at the next meeting. In the meantime, crews will continue 24‑hour water removal operations, and the county’s emergency management team will monitor water levels closely.
Community members are encouraged to stay informed through the county’s official channels and to report any new flooding incidents promptly.
Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.
