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W.Va.’s ag chief views sites flooded in Follansbee

City officials took state officials on a tour of Follansbee to assess flood damage and recovery Saturday. Those involved in the tour were, from left, City Manager John DeStefano; Mayor Dave Velegol Jr.; Mark Fitzsimmons, conservation district supervisor for Marshall County; and Walt Helmick, West Virginia agriculture commissioner. — Mark J. Miller

FOLLANSBEE — State officials were in the city Saturday, taking a tour of areas affected by the July 30 flood and assessing the damage caused.

Accompanied by city officials, including City Manager John DeStefano and Mayor Dave Velegol Jr.; Mark Fitzsimmons, conservation district supervisor for Marshall County,Walt Helmick, West Virginia agriculture commissioner, began walking and examining the creek adjacent to Allegheny Street. During the tour, DeStefano and Velegol described the damage done by the flood and how it’s affected the city. Both city leaders were hoping the two could assist in finding state resources to help clean up the creek, which Velegol said Saturday was state land — not the city’s.

“This is less about the damage,” Velegol said of the tour, adding the creek and culvert belong to the state. “We are trying to get this cleaned up. (DeStefano’s) done a good job of getting this cleaned up. He’s been writing (to the state) about this for eight years.”

The July 30 flood destroyed houses, businesses, vehicles and churches during heavy rains. The culvert, blocked by man-made and natural debris, overflowed onto adjacent streets. Many of the affected homeowners had no or inadequate flood insurance. The city must pay for its cleanup expenses, putting a dent in the city’s budget.

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency previously visited Follansbee but determined the flooding wasn’t serious enough to warrant funds or federal assistance. The city also appealed to state Sen. Bill Cole, R-Bluefield, for state assistance. However, Cole, the Republican nominee for governor, told Follansbee officials the state was facing a $5 million deficit, and other areas flooded in West Virginia had been hit hard. Cole said grant funds might be a possibility.

State Del. Ryan Weld, R-Wellsburg, has said the legislature is slated to discuss flooding relief for areas throughout the state, including Follansbee.

Helmick Saturday said he was there to examine the creek and learn more about the situation.

“The flow (of the creek) was impeded from all the debris that was in the stream,” said Helmick. “Once it clogged up it caused a lot of damage. I’m here because I’m associated with the (conservation) agency.”

Helmick also said it was part of the state conservation agency’s duties to assess the situation and try to prevent further occurrences.

Mark Fitzsimmons, conservation district supervisor for Marshall County, said the state would do what it could.

“You can’t prevent Mother Nature, but you can come up with a plan. Who knows what that’s going to be?” said Fitzsimmons, adding the culvert should have been sufficient to handle normal rainfalls but not “Hundred-year rainfalls. This is what we’ve got, so now we’ve got to find a way to fix it.”

Velegol indicated the culvert contained all types of man-made debris, and cinder blocks dropped into the creek could clearly be seen at one of the stops. DeStefano previously said the culvert hadn’t been cleaned since 2004.

Those businesses and residents affected by the flood may be eligible for loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, and SBA officials will be in the city to discuss the possibility of loans 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at the Follansbee City Building. SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet said the loans are available in response to a request for a disaster declaration by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.

SBA loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate and up to $40,000 for renters to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

Interest rates for the loans may be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.6 percent for nonprofit organizations and 1.5 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years, based on each application’s financial condition. There’s no cost to apply, and eligibility is determined by agency standards.

DeStefano said approximately 120 residents, 30 businesses and three churches affected by the flood still have a long road to recovery. However, Velegol said Saturday it was a positive development for state officials to be visiting and assessing the situation.

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