Paid for by Citizens for Colburn Committee. Authority John W. Phillips, Jr., Treasurer

Proclamation doesn’t help homeowners and farmers
By STEVE NERY and SARAH PEARCE
Staff Writers - Star Democrat
July 5, 2006

While a presidential disaster area proclamation for Caroline and Dorchester counties will help cover government costs associated with the flooding, local officials are hoping help will be forthcoming for individuals as well.

On Sunday, President George W. Bush declared a disaster area for the two Eastern Shore counties devastated by the rains, allowing for federal funding to help repair local infrastructures. The proclamation does not approve a certain amount of funding, but allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to pick up 75 percent of the emergency response costs.

Bush did not include Cecil, Harford and Montgomery counties in the declaration, as initially requested by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

The declaration does nothing for affected homeowners and farmers. According to a memo from the Caroline County Department of Emergency Management, however, a meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at the Caroline County Courthouse, to discuss public assistance and aid to individuals. MEMA is coordinating various state agencies to assist families with damage.

“We strongly encourage representation from the towns and county departments which were (affected) by the event,” the memo read.

In Dorchester County, flooding caused about $12 million to $13 million in damage to roads, County Council President Glenn Bramble said. Twenty-seven roads in all were closed, and about six to eight of them have been reopened, Bramble said. The county is working to make the necessary repairs and worrying about being reimbursed later.

“Our roads board staff has done an excellent job,” said Bramble, who also serves as president of the Dorchester County Roads Board. “Those ladies and gentlemen have been working diligently to get [the roads] back up.”

He commended Dorchester Sheriff James W. Phillips Jr. and Dorchester Emergency Management for their work as well.

Sections of some roads, such as Palmer’s Mill Road, could be closed for more than a year, he said, asking people to be patient.

As Ehrlich noted when he visited the region last week, rebuilding the roads will require permitting from agencies including the Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of the Environment.

Sen. Richard F. Colburn, R-37-Mid-Shore, said he was pleased the president declared the disaster area. Caroline and Dorchester counties are some of Maryland’s poorest counties, he said, and can use the help.

Since the storm, the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and FEMA have been assessing damage, something that must be done before a disaster area can be declared.

“I guess I’m pleased that a lot of our work has paid off,” said Colburn, who also is Federalsburg town manager. “A lot of people worked tirelessly to compile these figures.”

“This prompt response to the (state) government’s request from the president will provide immediate assistance to these communities that is direly needed,” Colburn said.

Federal assistance will be helpful, Hurlock Mayor Don Bradley said, although he was a little disappointed no relief has been announced for individuals. Some of the houses damaged were not in areas that typically flood.

“I would hope they would look at that,” Bradley said.

Bradley said his father bought a building in 1967, and the basement never held water until last week. Bradley said he hopes authorities will find a way to help people who are victims of flooding no one could have predicted.

Three or four houses in Hurlock, along with others in the county, were damaged, Bradley added.

Hurlock Public Works employees did a good job, he said, as did the police department and firefighters. Public Works Director Steve Willey kept a level head, Bradley said, although he had been director for only about a week. Longtime director Frank Wright retired before the storms.

Colburn said he has seen nothing so far to help private homeowners or farmers. Some wheat crops are total losses, he said, because they have begun to sprout again. Not all farmers and homeowners are covered by flood insurance for such losses, he said.

Bramble said he believes the financial impact to Dorchester agriculture would be similar to that of the county’s roads. Without help, the crop losses could put some people out of business, he said.

“These folks need more than just low-interest loans,” he said.

Bramble said he had talked to Maryland Agriculture Secretary Lewis R. Riley, who pledged to help find money for the farmers.