CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County leaders are concerned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency may not provide any funding to cover the costs of repairing or rebuilding Bob Hall Pier from the damage it suffered during Hurricane Hanna.
“That seems to be the preliminary inclination," said Nueces County Commissioner for Precinct 4 Brent Chesney. "I’m hoping I’m wrong on that. I’m hoping that’s not the case.”
Engineers are getting close to finalizing their report on the damage to the pier, which will include an estimated cost to fix it.
Once it's finalized, the county will send it to FEMA where Chesney is concerned that federal agents might not find in the county's favor.
“If they refuse and say, ‘You haven’t reached the damage threshold in Texas. You haven’t reached the damage threshold in Nueces County. We’re not going to give you anything. We’re not even going to consider it,’ we’ve got a big problem,” he said.
A North Texas couple who visits Corpus Christi often was disappointed to hear about the possible lack of funding to make repairs to the pier and the restaurant that sits on it.
“We love eating at Mikel May's," said Cisco resident Joy Pence. "It was really sad to see that it had some damage to it.”
“Everytime we come, (Mikel May's) is usually the first place we’ll eat right here," her husband, Ronny Pence, said. "It’s really good.”
It's that sentiment from visitors and locals that has Chesney hoping that FEMA will provide funding or that the county can find it through other sources, such as grants.
“That pier is such an iconic part of our community and has been for 40 years," he said. "It just means a lot to this community, and it means a lot to the beachgoers."
