Federal flood funds fancied

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA — Wayne County Commissioners were quietly optimistic that the federal government and the state would pick up the $4.3 million price tag for damages caused by the recent flood.

“Both the state and we have declared a state of emergency,” said Tony Herzog, Wayne County Commissioners’ chair on April 12. “We’re waiting for the federal government to declare an emergency to release funds to pay for the damage. I’m expecting they will make the declaration very soon.”

The damage occurred on the county’s roads and bridges, according to Lois Powderly, administrative assistant of the Wayne County Emergency Management Center.

“The $4.3 million figure came from FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] inspectors and PEMA [Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency] inspectors after they visited all the roads and bridges in the county on Monday,” Powderly said.

Road damage was extensive and the county lost two bridges, she said. “The Stone Arch Bridge [behind the Damascus Elementary School off Route 371] was totally destroyed,” she said, as was the Galloway Bridge in Manchester Township.

Damage to individual homes will be computed and submitted separately from the county figures, Herzog said. “Individual homeowners should get forms from the township hall and submit them to us,” said the Bill Gager, Damascus Township Supervisors’ chair at the township meeting on April 11. “Make sure you keep all your receipts.”

Many officials said this was the worst flood in recent memory.