Public meeting held for victims still recovering from 2017 flooding

Folks in Howell County still recovering from last year's historic flood had the chance today to speak with local officials about unmet recovery needs and ongoing housing issues.

This was the first meeting and really the first step for Howell County and the City of West Plains to get public input for folks still needing help recovering from last year's flood. Folks had the chance to ask questions and fill out an unmet housing need assessment form that will go to the state, to help assess what victims of the flood still need.

The required public outreach meeting included representatives from the city, Ozark Action and the South Central Ozarks Council of Governments.

"The meeting today was meant to get pubic input on the unmet housing needs in the City of West Plains and Howell County to deliver to the state so they can create an action plan so they can spend $99 million in recovery funds," SCOCOG Assistant Director Cody Dalton told KY3.

That $99 million is Missouri's allocation of a $13 billion package approved by the federal government for seven states.

The $99 million will come in two rounds: the first chunk will be $58 million that will go towards unmet recovery needs.

80 percent of that money must be spent in five heavily impacted areas as determined by FEMA: Neosho, Van Buren, Branson, Doniphan and West Plains.

Carolyn Mills spoke at the meeting.

She sees flood damage everyday in her mobile home in West Plains.

"My bathroom floors were flooded out and ruined and I haven't been able to get any help," Mills exclaimed.

Since the flood, wooden boards were installed in the bathroom.

But she says potential mold has made an already difficult situation worse.

"I'm pretty sure we have black mold and I'm pretty sure it's affecting my breathing. I have Multiple Sclerosis so I have a left leg that drags and I have boards in there and it's really hard to hop from board to board when one leg doesn't work."

After talking with officials, Mills says she's as hopeful has she has been since last April.

"They've given me a little hope. I'll just wait and see and hopefully something will be done," Mills said.

"A conservative estimate I think is that the dollars could start flowing in to Howell County by spring....maybe late spring," Dalton added.

The second round of the federal money includes $41 million for flood mitigation projects: that could include buyouts of flood prone properties, construction of detention basins, channelization work on waterways and replacement of bridges and roads.

If your property suffered damage from the floods and you would like to complete an unmet housing assessment needs form, go to West Plains City Hall and grab a copy of the form to fill out.

Local officials must turn in the assessment forms by October 26th.