FEMA tours Bullard area
County, city officials show effects of storm
By Lori Mellinger Bullard Banner News

In an attempt to recoup damage done to the city of Bullard during the heavy storms last month, City Manager Larry Morgan and Councilwoman Pam Frederick accompanied a group from the Federal Emergency Management Agency last Thursday - showing the officials specific problems.

The city has joined forces with Smith County - whose representatives are in the process of having the county declared a National Disaster area.

"While we didn't suffer as much damage as much of rural Smith County, the costs in fixing that which occurred would be quite a hardship for the city," Morgan said.

At July's city council meeting, the council reviewed a letter written by Mayor A.W. Hines to Smith County, which detailed the damages.

"Our crew has - since the subsiding of the rain this week - assessed the damage done in all parts of Bullard, and we believe the sum total will be in the amount of $28,000," Hines wrote in the letter.

Specified in the list of affected areas were: needed lift station repair, sinking and washed out pavement, damage to the city's clarifier, manhole repair, and culvert blockage.

Smith County used the information - along with that of other cities - to fit the requisites for disaster relief.

According to Morgan, the FEMA officials and staff from the governor's office - also in attendance - were just a preliminary team.

"From what I understand, another team will come and take a deeper look at the county," he said. "The county has told me that individual assistance was granted and public assistance is being reviewed."

Flooding began across the state on June 16, and Bullard has seen about 17 inches of rainfall in a short amount of time.

Both city and county officials want citizens who suffered storm damage to register losses with the federal agency.

Registration is available online at www.fema.gov or by between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. by telephone at 800-621- FEMA

FEMA provides assistance to victims who have eligible disaster-related expenses and serious needs that are not covered by insurance.

The county also asked Gov. Rick Perry to declare a state of emergency in order to seek all available state and federal resources.

Officials said they would seek assistance from state agencies such as the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Office of Rural and Community Affairs, so to access funding for the repairs to the county infrastructure and any potential assistance for individuals who have suffered losses to their property.

County Judge Joel Baker was also part of the group touring sites.