On November 20, 2018, Bay County, Florida, adopted a resolution creating the Hurricane Michael Long-Term Disaster Recovery Task Force.  The Task Force consists of nine elected officials from each municipality, the County, and Bay District Schools.

The Chairman of the Task Force appointed six business and governmental leaders to lead specific "branches" in the recovery planning process- economic recovery, infrastructure, housing, health and social services, natural and cultural resources, and planning and capacity building.  These branch leads conducted nearly 250 public meetings, special research sessions, and open discussions about the challenges of recovery, involving over 750 local residents, business leaders, and stakeholders.  The Task Force itself held multiple public meetings in which it received updates from the branch leads, nongovernmental organizations, and the public about the needs and goals of the community following the disaster.

The result of that process is a Long-Term Recovery Plan that describes the challenges faced by Bay County following Hurricane Michael, and a description of projects that will restore Bay County and make it more resilient to future disasters.  This Plan will be used in discussions with federal and state governments, private grant providers, the business and investment community, nongovernmental organizations, and others in executing the County's recovery priorities.

A copy of the plan can be found at the Task Force website,  www.recoverybaycounty.com, and is also available for inspection at the offices of the Bay County Board of County Commissioners.