Escambia County invites District 5 residents and the media to a Bristol Park Area FEMA Grant discussion 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 11 in the Multi-Purpose room at the 4-H Youth Center Building, 3730 Stefani Road, Cantonment, FL 32533 in response to flooding from Hurricane Sally.

The county is applying for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to further the county’s acquisition and floodplain restoration initiative in this area. Participation in the program is completely voluntary. The county would like to work with willing owners to acquire properties in the Bristol Park and Ashbury Hills neighborhoods.

"Unfortunately, the Bristol Park area experienced substantial flooding AGAIN during Hurricane Sally," said District 5 County Commissioner Steven Barry. "This meeting will provide a venue for homeowners to ask questions and gain additional information about an option that may be available to help them with their INDIVIDUAL situation."

During the meeting, the county will provide a progress update about the development of a grant application. The purpose of the meeting is to further gauge interest of homeowner willingness to participate and to address frequently asked questions and concerns.

After the presentation, homeowners will have the opportunity to ask further questions in small groups or individually, and the county would like to make appointments for these time slots. Residents are asked to contact either Kelli Reddick (kelli.reddick@arcadis.com) or Rob McCracken (rob_mccracken@myescambia.com) prior to the meeting to schedule an appointment, ask questions about the grant application and/or see a pre-application package.

If residents are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be recorded and then uploaded to the county’s YouTube channel the following day. There will be an online form to submit comments and questions. The county also plans to stream the meeting live on the county's Facebook page for remote viewing.