Latest tornado update from City of Joplin

(From the City of Joplin)

On Thursday, July 28, City Manager Mark Rohr addressed the news media regarding the City’s work in the recovery efforts following the EF-5 tornado that tore through nearly 30% of Joplin. The tornado traveled roughly 13 miles and was one-half to three-quarters mile in width at times as it moved through Joplin, the City of Duquesne and both Jasper and Newton Counties.

Rohr addressed the initial phases of search and rescue and search and recovery, noting the efficiencies and expertise exhibited by the Joplin Fire Department and Police Department, as well as the hundreds of agencies who provided support in these efforts. He also noted that the fatality count has moved to 160, as JT Strickland passed away recently due to injuries caused by the tornado.

Clean-up of the damage began quickly with the City working with its federal and state partners. FEMA brought their expertise and introduced the Expedited Debris Removal (EDR) initiative to City officials. This initiative allows government-funded contractors the ability to remove loose tornado debris from private property, and offers a 90 percent federal match to a 10 percent local and state match for costs incurred.

Rohr noted that the work has progressed quickly, and recognized that between this program and the work of the volunteers, the lots are getting cleared. He estimated that 80 percent of the debris has been removed from the residential lots. Commercial properties are reminded that their debris should be fully cleared of loose tornado debris by August 8 or the property owner needs to present a signed, valid contract for debris removal to the City showing that a contractor has committed to removing the debris. After August 8, the City will begin a process to declare uncleared properties as a public nuisance.

Volunteers have provided a tremendous amount of assistance in cleaning up the City. As of July 26, there have been 69,088 registered volunteers who have provided 337,627 hours of service.

Housing for displaced citizens is another important area being addressed. The City provided land for two group sites for FEMA’s temporary housing units. The sites, Hope Haven Village and Officer Jeff Taylor Memorial Acres, will accommodate 481 units. Currently, 90 units are placed on the Memorial Acres site, with more being placed daily as the work is completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Occupancy of these units will begin once FEMA storm shelters are installed for the residents. The sites are located in northern Joplin, and the City is working with the Missouri Department of Transportation on traffic issues, such as placing signals at key intersections in the area.



In addition to the group site location, 121 units have already been placed in commercial lots within the Joplin area, with 120 of these now occupied by displaced families. Other housing statistics note that FEMA has provided 3,391 applicants with rental assistance, and 636 applicants have been identified with a need for temporary housing.

“It has been a priority to get our families into their temporary housing sites,” said Rohr. “As we understand, this process is moving very quickly in comparison to other disasters. Of course, if affected by the tornado, housing cannot come quickly enough, but our residents should know that we are committed to helping them, and are working with FEMA so that housing needs can be appropriately addressed.”

As the EDR program continued, the City began work on the thousands of damaged trees in the disaster area. Several messages have been sent to residents discussing the process of tree evaluation by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Generally, insurance policies do not cover the removal of vegetation, and the City has contacted those property owners who have been identified with hazardous tornado-damaged trees, root balls or stumps to provide information on the various options in getting them removed. Citizens with questions about their trees should contact the City at 417-624-0820, ext. 539.

The City is developing a comprehensive plan for replanting trees in Joplin. Designated with the Tree City USA status, Rohr noted that the City is strongly committed in working with its Tree Board and the residents to develop the urban forest that Joplin once had throughout this area.

Another area of interest for residents is the guidelines for demolition. During the press conference, Rohr announced that the City will provide more details on a comprehensive plan about demolition and its various stages and options in the near future. Residents are encouraged to watch for this information, as this area has many facets, as did the debris removal process. He also noted that any demolition project needs to have a demolition permit completed, and this permit fee has been waived through December 31, 2011. The City’s expectation will include removal of walls, footings, foundations, basements, crawl spaces, steps, pools and other related appurtenances, if a property owner is not planning to rebuild on the lot.

Property owners looking to rebuild on their lots were given a green light when the City Manager announced that all of the tornado-damaged area is now open for new residential construction. “Although we put a pause on new construction earlier, we made a commitment at that time to lift it in phases, as parts of the City were cleaned,” he said. “We have done that with other area opening up several weeks ago. This is the 38th day since that action was taken, and I’m happy to say that the entire City is now reopened for building.”

The City continues working with its state and federal agencies in developing various resources and aids for residents to use in the rebuilding process. As these items are finalized, the City will provide more details about the various assistance programs. Residents are encouraged to watch for announcements in the near future.

The Citizens Advisory Recovery Team (CART) has published a 42 page booklet listing all of the citizens’ comments gathered at the public input sessions on July 12. Booklets will be available next week in various locations. An electronic version can be found on the City’s website at www.joplinmo.org . According to Jane Cage, CART Chair, the group is continuing to seek input from citizens and will be hosting more meetings and provide opportunities to post comments electronically on the organization’s website. Citizens are again encouraged to watch for announcements about this important opportunity in moving Joplin forward in the recovery and rebuilding phase.