By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
Mayor Eddie Joe Williams says the city’s ongoing cost for cleaning up and repairing the damage from the April 3 tornado could be as high as $300,000, much of which will be reimbursed by the federal and state governments at a rate of 75 percent federal and 12.5 percent state.
In the meantime, Williams said Karen Davis, his operations director, is keeping up with all the city’s out-of-pocket expenses, including overtime for the city employees who have worked to clean up the mess the tornado left behind.
“We had over 200 truckloads of storm debris,” the mayor said. “Everything we’ve done will have to be verified, but the city – well Karen – is keeping meticulous records.”
FEMA has announced that both the uninsured public and individual losses in Lonoke County met the threshold of $3.11 per resident, but no total damage estimate has been released.
This week, representatives from The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were in Cabot, going door to door to speak to residents who had losses from the storm.
Davis said FEMA sent three representatives initially, but then two more were called in. Residents and business owners who incurred damages from the tornado are encouraged to register with FEMA to receive assistance, she said.
“What they told me is that it is very important that you register,” she said. “They told me ‘don’t let anyone disqualify themselves without talking to us.’”
Although there was no damage to public property in Ward, Mayor Art Brooke said he thinks the losses to individuals in his city are about $300,000.
“There was a lot of roof damage, including mine,” Brooke said, adding that on Hwy. 38, the grandson of former Lonoke County Judge Dude Spence lost his entire roof, including his rafters, decking and shingles.
But most of the damage was to mobile homes. Two on Margie Lane were completely destroyed, the mayor said, adding that he has not seen any representatives from FEMA or ADEM.
Although Cabot sustained the most damage of any area in Lonoke County, since the total of uninsured damage exceeded the $164,295 threshold, all county residents who sustained damage are potentially eligible for disaster-relief assistance.
Register by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) anytime between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily or online at www.fema.gov. Information also is available at Cabot City Hall at 501-843-3566.
