Hendry County official pushes for infrastructure fixes following record rainfall

PIONEER PLANTATION, Fla. — Floodwaters in Hendry County are finally beginning to recede following a heavy rain event last week, but residents in Pioneer Plantation, one of the hardest-hit rural communities, are left seeking answers and demanding infrastructure improvements to prevent future disasters.

For many living in the area, the immediate aftermath brought not just property damage, but a profound sense of isolation.

"I think the worst part was feeling like we didn’t matter, and that’s how most of us felt out here," said Deborah Misotti, founder of The Talkin’ Monkeys Project.

Misotti operates the non-profit primate sanctuary near Pioneer Plantation, which works alongside state and federal agencies to care for exotic animals rescued from illegal trafficking. Having lived in the area for 24 years, she noted that she has never seen floodwaters reach such dangerous levels.

The last major flood event she remembers was due to Hurricane Ian and before that from Hurricane Wilma. This latest rainfall she says packed a more powerful punch for her community than both those hurricanes. The record rainfall inundated several animal cages, causing significant stress to the primates, while also stranding staff who were temporarily unable to access parts of the grounds.

eyond the standing water, the deluge brought another hazard: dangerous wildlife.

"Our biggest problem was the snakes," Misotti said. "It poured snakes through here. While we don’t mind corn snakes, when the rattlers and moccasins come through, that’s dangerous."

Misotti expressed frustration over what she perceived as a lack of direct county intervention during the height of the crisis.

"The thing that bothered me is when we asked for help, what we got were a bunch of guys [who] came with sticks with orange on top of it so you knew where the road was, and being told they weren’t pumping out anything," she said.

However, Misotti credited Hendry County Commissioner Michael Atkinson for his personal efforts to assist residents on the ground.

Atkinson explained that the extreme flooding caught local officials off guard due to the rainfall going well beyond what was predicted.

"You get six days to plan for a hurricane," Atkinson said. "This thing, we were supposed to get 2 to 4 inches of rain—we ended up getting over 20."

Atkinson pointed to several factors that exacerbated the inundation, including drainage ditches clogged with debris and a crucial 42-foot canal that backflowed directly into Pioneer Plantation.

He also noted historical development challenges, stating that when the rural subdivision was originally established in the 1970s, deeds indicated the low-lying land was not intended for human habitability.

"People started building," Atkinson said. "It’s all low, and it’s something we’re having to adapt to now."

To address the immediate drainage failures, Atkinson plans to meet with county engineers to review the canal system and identify engineering solutions to mitigate future storm risks.

At Tuesday evening's County Commission meeting, Atkinson intends to request a dedicated special session focused exclusively on long-term infrastructure improvements for Pioneer Plantation and surrounding rural communities.

With all the standing water, mosquitos have become a major concern. Deborah said that also poses a serious problem for her primates. Atkinson said he is working with mosquito control to step up spraying in the area.

Hendry County official pushes for infrastructure fixes following record rainfall

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