Salem City Manager Annette Sola is hopeful that if Marion County has enough damage from the weekend flooding to qualify for state or federal help, money could be made available to the city to make drainage improvements.
She’s encouraging any business or individual, even if they are covered by insurance, to self-report the damage on a QR Code or link available from the City of Salem website (here for residential damage) (here for business or commercial damage) or the Salem Emergency Management Agency Facebook page. Those who need help can come to Salem City Hall for assistance.
“That number where you may not need assistance, your neighbor may not have insurance or not have coverage,” Sola said. “The dollar amount is what they’re looking for as far as funding. Helping us with funding has to do with how large this claim really will be, and whether we stay on the state level or go all the way up to the federal level, we need numbers in place to even qualify. They won’t just come in and look and say ‘yes, we need to help,’ they need to see real numbers.”
Sola says in addition to help to residents and businesses that were impacted, the city could also benefit.
“There’s not really a way to put a dollar amount to cleaning trees and debris and things like that out of creeks,” Sola said, “but some of the funding that could come back to the city which would help everybody overall, federal funding would possibly help us improve our sewer system, maybe go in and help us clean out Town Creek really good. Maybe there’s a possibility that it could hold more water and not move out as far as what it moves right now.”
Sola says she also understands those with damage are frustrated that things are not moving faster but she says there are a lot of balls in the air they are trying to juggle. She reports the city will be looking at options to assist with cleanup but says no plan is yet in place. One issue will be getting rid of construction debris which is taken by landfills at a higher rate than regular trash. Sola says both the City of Salem Gas Crews and Ameren are waiting for approval from property owners such as the Starlight Mobile Home Park before reconnecting service.
Centralia officials are collecting the same information from a QR code and link on their website or by coming to Centralia City Hall for assistance.
Through six Monday night, 112 had filed the self-assessment form from Marion County. Two had property that was destroyed, 18 with major damage, 8 with minor damage and seven that were affected. Sola says no plan has yet been put together to help residents with cleanup.
The Red Cross Shelter remains open at the First Baptist Church in Salem for those in need of a place to stay or other assistance.
