Business View Civil Municipal - July 2023

213 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 7 ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA biggest such devastating storms. “But each time a hurricane comes through, the city gets stronger and stronger,” Handley said, “not only as a community but also in that we rebuild to higher standards. Hurricane Sally left us with some $20 million in damage expenses. But we worked through the FEMA and the State of Alabama for reimbursements, and it turned out that we were eligible for a 90-percent reimbursement.” If a hurricane causes damage or destruction, Handley said structures are rebuilt to the highest standards in order to withstand Mother Nature as best as possible. “That was the big lesson we learned with Ivan,” he said. Relatedly, in Sally’s wake, repairs are ongoing at the Perdido Pass Seawall Park. The result will mean expanding and improving the park as well. The repair portion of this effort is a FEMA project, awarded by the Orange Beach City Council. The contractor has up to 120 working days to complete it, according to the bid documents. Generally, the weather in Orange Beach is warm and inviting. Handley extolled the beautiful autumn the city enjoys. Many folks walk around in T-shirts and shorts, even at Christmas. There is some cold in January and February, he said, and about three hard freezes a year. But that’s it. Indeed, the weather is so good that the city has practically no slow season at all. It’s possible to enjoy all it offers the whole year round. This very family-friendly tourist destination focuses a great deal on public safety and cleanliness. Handley noted that the City’s police, fire and EMS departments are top-notch and