Carl Junction officials take stock of storm recovery efforts, costs

June 06-- Jun. 6--CARL JUNCTION, Mo. -- Carl Junction city officials Tuesday night explored the progress of the town's tornado recovery and additional ways to respond more efficiently to future natural disasters.

It's now been two weeks since an EF3 tornado swept through the Briarbrook area of Carl Junction and nearby neighborhoods. Steve Lawver, city administrator, told the council recovery efforts have been going well, with the town receiving an "overwhelming" amount of volunteers from area communities and organizations looking to help.

"The volunteer response and response of the people has just been fantastic," Lawver said. "The groups that have come in and the businesses that have come in to support our groups has been a little bit overwhelming but very much appreciated. Everybody's done a great job."

The flooding of the ballfields at the Frank Dean Sports Complex has receded, and the Bulldog Youth Athletic Association has already begun cleaning up the area. Vegetation continues to be picked up by Asbell Companies, with the final haul to be made Friday.

To be better prepared for the future, Lawver said he'd like the city to find an impartial person who can determine what the city did right and what it did wrong in responding to a natural disaster such as the May 22 tornado.

"I'd like to bring somebody in that can look at the processes and what we did, and tell us what we need to change," he said.

Delmar Haase, Carl Junction's emergency management director and police chief, said Jasper County has sustained at least approximately $434,000 in damages, the minimum amount needed for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to get involved.

"Since we met the threshold, we should be able to recover some of the city's expenditures, which has been significant in cleaning up debris and taking care of the people of the town," Haase said in an interview with the Globe on Wednesday. "We'll be able to recover that so we don't suffer any setback in future budgets."

However, Haase said, it could take some time -- maybe several years -- before the town sees the monetary assistance.

"We should see some reimbursement eventually," he told the council. "In saying that, it's been eight years since Joplin, and they still don't have all of their money back. It could be an 85/15 match. We don't know at this point. We'll find out."

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a long-awaited $19.1 billion disaster aid bill, which now awaits President Donald Trump's signature. Haase said after talking with officials from the State Emergency Management Agency, he believes the measure will aid Kansas and Missouri.

The bill provides emergency supplemental appropriations to several state and federal agencies to help aid in natural disasters that have occurred throughout the country since 2017. The funding would be designated as emergency spending and would be disbursed through agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Some departments would require a presidential disaster declaration for communities such as Carl Junction in Missouri to receive disaster funding, while others would not. Katie Boyd, communications director for Sen. Roy Blunt, said in an email to the Globe that agencies such as the USDA don't depend on a declaration but Economic Development Assistance programs do.

"The governor has not made a request for a presidential disaster declaration for the (May 22) tornado," Katie Boyd said in the email. "Should he make a request, and the president grants the declaration, the county/city would be eligible for FEMA funding in addition to the Economic Development Assistance and Community Development Block Grant programs from the supplemental."

The city is working with SEMA and has submitted preliminary damage reports for review. From there, SEMA will make updates as needed and send them to FEMA. SEMA has been in the Carl Junction area this week surveying the damage, Haase said.

"These things are in flux, depending on the emergency and the disaster, at the time," Haase said. "Right now, SEMA is going to start with the flood damage and individual assessment problems and take care of them. Then we'll be looking towards public assistance."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Want to help?

The city of Carl Junction still needs volunteers for the Briarbrook community, Fir Road and Joplin Street. Volunteers must now check in at the fire station on Pennell Street, where the equipment and supplies are being housed. Chain saw crews, coordinated volunteer groups and large equipment are needed for vegetation cleanup.

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