“To get a partial or full reimbursement of that money is a big deal,” said Mayor Robin Reames.
Ohio Governor John Kasich recently announced the State Disaster Relief Program will provide 75 percent reimbursement for eligible public damages, which is money spent by local government in the clean-up process.
Russells Point leaders spent money on manpower hours cleaning up debris and disposing of the mess. That included getting families out of flooded homes and helping people get damaged items out of their homes, Reames said.
The money spent on the clean-up is equivalent to the cost of running street lights in the village for the entire year, she added.
Russells Point and Logan County declared emergency status in June in response to the flood conditions, said Helen Norris, director of the Logan County Emergency Management Agency.
Some areas had flood waters not seen in more than a decade, she added, and more than 90 homes were damaged.
The areas that normally flood — including Bristol Circle in the flood plain for Indian Lake and the Great Miami River — were the worst hit, Norris said.
Kayla Hamilton has lived in that neighborhood her entire life and had to watch many of her neighbors pack up and leave after the flood.
“When the flood happens, you have to pick and choose your battles — whether a house is worth it or you just want to leave,” she said.
Many people’s possessions were ruined by several inches of water in their homes, Hamilton said, and they were forced out of their rental properties because of the extensive damage.
“It’s just sad because a lot of good people had to leave because they just lost everything,” she said.
Debris from the flood runoff included corn stalks, wood, manure and dirt, and officials warned it was full of contamination.
“I know many homeowners felt helpless,” Reames said.
The Logan County Long Term Recovery Team is working to assist individuals who suffered uninsured damage to their homes or loss of personal property, she added.
Residents affected by the flood waters can call the Red Cross at 937-650-5000 or the EMA office at 937-593-5743.
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