Looking ahead: Tupelo residents share their immediate and long-term concerns

May 20--TUPELO -- Residents entered Tupelo's town hall meeting Monday with concerns about debris in their backyards, unscruplous contractors and the city-wide recovery and left with mixed feelings.

Steve and Sherry Elmore moved to Tupelo two months before the April 28 tornado that damaged or destroyed tens of millions of dollars in commercial, government and residential property. They sat in the City Council chambers and heard others voice concerns about neighbors taking insurance money and deciding not to rebuild, but left the meeting optimistic.

"We'll build back," Steve Elmore. "It's just going to take time."

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials and other federal disasters relief workers along with state and local officials fielded questions from a room of people uncertain about debris pickup, insurance covering their losses and how their neighborhoods and city will choose to rebuild.

About $8.5 million in damaged or destroyed commercial property has been reported along North Gloster Street, Tupelo chief building inspector David Wammack said. To date, the city has received $1.2 million in damaged residential property claims.

"That's just scratching the surface," he said of residential property damage.

Among City Hall talk of federal assistance and low-interest loans to help recover, some Tupelo residents listened to Mayor Jason Shelton speak about the need for more participation in neighborhood associations and debris pickup progress but also wanted to hear a rebuilding vision for the city.

Keith Kantack, president of the Joyner Neighborhood Association, said he wanted Shelton to offer a vision for Tupelo to rebuild, fearing undesirable results if city leaders didn't focus beyond debris removal.

"If long-term decisions aren't made at this level, then we could end up a patchwork that might not be what we need," he said.

Shelton told the group he understands the need for planning toward the future but needs citizen input. He has mentioned the potential to turn the North Gloster business corridor into a walkable business and entertainment area.

"We've got to have a vision, but it's not my vision," he said. "It can't be just one person's vision for what to do with the city."

Mixing immediate debris concerns with plans for the future will continue as a juggling act for city leaders for the next couple of months. Shelton said the city can anticipate long-term recovery to last up to five years.

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