CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City of Clarksville announced Monday afternoon it is “working on several fronts” to help residents directly impacted by last week’s flooding.
“We have been dealt another difficult disaster, but as always, Clarksville is resilient,” said Mayor Joe Pitts in a news release. “We want everyone to know that we are working around the clock, every day, providing and pursuing every conceivable form of flood assistance and relief that is potentially availed to us. When one of us hurts in this community, we all hurt, and in the City of Clarksville, we genuinely care.
“We will stay the course until everyone gets help,” he said.
Most city streets in flooded neighborhoods have been reopened. The exception is the Woodstock subdivision, where work is ongoing around the clock to pump the floodwaters out, the release said.
Twice as much rainfall as normal
The National Weather Service reported to the city that the rainfall total since Jan. 1 is 14.87 inches, and that is 8.43 inches more than normal. For the weekend of Feb. 15-16, when extensive flash flooding occurred, the total was 6.28 inches, most of which fell on Saturday, the news release said.
That means Clarksville has received 150% to 200% of normal rainfall during each of the past three months – a huge surplus that far exceeds most of the region.
MORE: Flooding fills Dunbar Cave with mud, lifts boardwalks, causes possible damage to cave art
Disaster assistance
The city remains hopeful there will be a disaster declaration for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for people affected by flooding. The application process is being channeled through the Montgomery County and Tennessee Emergency Management agencies, the release said.
Rodney Grimsley, deputy director of Montgomery County EMA, said his agency has been working with all community partners to determine where flood damage occurred, and began making assessments to send to TEMA. TEMA collects information and presents it to the Governor’s Office, to assist in Gov. Bill Lee’s decision of whether to request a federal disaster declaration.
For now, Grimsley said homeowners affected by the flooding should make sure they are filling out forms for the Montgomery County Property Assessor’s Office for any damages. The link for that Assessor’s form can be found here.
Other flooding help
“The City of Clarksville is working closely with United Way, local nonprofits, and state and national VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) organizations to assist those impacted by the February storm,” said Michelle Austin, director of Clarksville Neighborhood & Community Services, in the news release.
“Every resident (representing close to 100 households) who requested assistance through CMCResponds.org has been directly contacted by a United Way representative and connected with agencies for immediate relief and relocation support.
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“This week, site assessments are beginning for residents whose homes were damaged by flooding and who have requested assistance with muck-outs, drywall removal, and financial aid for repairs. It’s important to note that some residents are also receiving help from other organizations outside our case management process,” Austin said.
“We are deeply grateful to all the neighbors and community members who have stepped up to support one another. The road to recovery will be challenging, especially for those who cannot afford costly repairs. We encourage anyone who wants to help fill the gaps in recovery efforts to donate at CMCResponds.org. Every contribution makes a difference in helping our neighbors rebuild,” she said.
Pitts noted that the city placed dumpsters throughout flood-impacted neighborhoods over the weekend, to give people a place to discard damaged materials. The city will haul those items away.
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