TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — One year after Hurricane Helene devastated this small beach community with a 7-foot storm surge, Treasure Island is slowly rebuilding while grappling with lessons learned from what many call the storm of the century.
The hurricane didn't just damage homes — it triggered a crisis of leadership that led to dozens of city employees resigning, including the mayor. It sparked heated debates over permits and rebuilding efforts.
"It was tough. You couldn't do anything. You felt helpless," said Mayor John Doctor, who took office after former Mayor Tyler Payne resigned in the storm's aftermath.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Michael Paluska interviewed Doctor on the fifth floor of City Hall, overlooking the same beach that was inundated by the massive storm surge that forever changed the beach community.
In the days following the storm, Paluska and photojournalist Reed Moeller documented the destruction. For this report, they revisited the exact locations damaged to show what has changed and what has remained the same.
MASS EXODUS
Internal emails obtained by Paluska reveal the extent of the personnel crisis that followed the natural disaster. Residents demanded action with messages like "Please promptly fire the city manager and city attorney right now and begin issuing permits," and "FIRE HIM!"
The city lost key personnel across multiple departments, with resignations from the public works director, city clerk, community development director, finance director, and deputy finance director.
"I think that for our hourly employees, for the main staff, it was tough, because we were asking them to work a lot of overtime and they did, but they all had families at home," Doctor said. "The stress, the anxiety, and just being tired. A lot of folks wanted to move on."
Over the past year, Tampa Bay 28 has continued to report on the fallout from the storm.
LESSONS LEARNED
For a community that hadn't experienced a major hurricane in 104 years, Helene served as a wake-up call.
"When they tell you to get out. Get out," the Doctor said. "We just didn't believe it, I guess. As a society, we didn't believe that this could happen, especially since we hadn't been hit in 104 years."
The mayor acknowledged that the city could have responded more quickly, particularly by bringing in engineering firms to assist with field work and permitting processes, which became a significant source of resident frustration.
"We don't do a whole lot of permits in a year," Doctor said. "But when we saw that (after the storm), we already had 1,000 permits, you know, in the first three, four weeks, that was more than we did in an entire year."
RESILIENCE AMID THE DESTRUCTION
Despite the challenges, many residents have chosen to stay and rebuild their homes. West Evans, a local artist who just moved back into his home, found solace in painting even as debris from destroyed homes littered the area.
"We live in a town of some of the most resilient people you'll ever meet, because there are people that can never handle this in a million years," Evans said.
Mark Hohe also recently returned to his home after months of displacement.
"I wasn't going to move in till we had a dresser. I wasn't going to live out of plastic bags anymore, and a couch," Hohe said.
Both men acknowledged that they would not forget what happened, but remained committed to their community.
"The word treasure in Treasure Island, that's that's real, like this is a treasure we have here, and we have to keep it a treasure," Evans said.
"We are a strong community, a vibrant community, and the people that are here are die-hard fans, just like my wife and I, and we're going to stay on forever," Doctor said.
Share Your Story with Michael
A lot goes into the price of paradise and Michael Paluska focuses on every aspect. From the job market and housing to how Florida’s growth impacts our state’s wildlife. Send Michael tips to keep these important conversations going.
.
Hillsborough County cameras will soon target speeders throughout the school day
Drivers in 29 Hillsborough County school zones will soon face photo enforcement throughout the entire school day.
