Some Decatur residents, businesses still recovering from April 3 storm

Aug. 13--Though the numbers are dropping for those needing help, Decatur residents and business owners are still dealing with the aftermath of the storm that hit parts of the city April 3.

Most business owners are still haggling with insurance companies, though the owner of Riverwalk Marina apparently has settled with his carrier. Parts of the marina have been a mangled mess since the storm.

City Director of Development Wally Terry said last week the damaged boat slips are being removed.

"Now they're trying to work out how and when to bring in the new boat slips," Terry said.

More than 80 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed in the storm that had winds as high as 75 mph. Northwest Decatur, Old Decatur, Southeast Decatur near Oak Park Elementary School and Riverwalk Marina sustained the most damage.

Laurie Lincoln-Swaim, president of Morgan County Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters, said the city's Long-term Recovery Committee is working with uninsured residents who had storm damage.

"We were up to 280 addresses, but then we initially narrowed that number down to 80," Lincoln-Swaim said. "Now we're down to 18 or 20."

The numbers do not include residents with insurance or rental home landlords. It's unknown how many residents who sustained damage but have insurance are still dealing with the recovery.

Lincoln-Swaim said the committee, which consists of members from nonprofits, is no longer accepting applications.

She said United Way of Decatur-Morgan County has about $11,000 in contributions for storm repairs, but it needs much more.

A governor's emergency fund could help, but it's considered "last resort money" that will only be available if the committee has done all it can with its fundraising, Lincoln-Swaim said.

City Councilman Billy Jackson said he's impressed the committee is down to so few storm victims.

"If that's accurate and they're down to 18 to 20 residents, that's phenomenal," Jackson said. "I just hope there's no one sitting out there that hasn't heard about the help that's available."

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Buenavista Drive Southeast resident Donald Houston was one of the lucky residents: He has insurance. A 200-year-old oak tree fell on his home and car.

Houston and his nephews, Matt and Johnny, moved in with his sister and brother-in-law at first. The insurance company is now paying for their stay at the Home2 Suites hotel.

"They're spoiling me here," said Houston, who has a separate suite from his nephews and is enjoying the hotel's maid service.

It took some time to decide if the home had to be demolished. The adjuster decided it could be saved. They're now waiting on the home to be repaired.

Terry said the city is working with three damaged businesses -- H.M. Nowlin's building at the corner of Second Avenue and East Moulton Street, Julia's Pools' former location on Sixth Avenue Southeast and Riverwalk Marina.

Nowlin is still working with the insurance company. Julia's Pools moved into the building next door after the storm. Terry said the pool store owners are trying to decide whether to repair or demolish their former business home, which originally was a Coca-Cola plant.

Last week, the City Council approved $49,850 to repair sidewalks that were damaged when several large trees blew over.

Mayor Tab Bowling said the city does not have any money set aside to replace the old trees that fell. He said the Rotary Club of Decatur is replacing some trees.

Lincoln-Swaim said voluntary appraisers with experience in assessing damage were scheduled to begin looking at homes of the committee's clients last week.

She said the appraisers are not only determining the extent of the damage, they're making sure that damage is storm-related and not from lack of repair over time. The committee isn't providing help to repair unattached garages, storage buildings or any other outhouses.

"Our main focus is repairing the living quarters," Lincoln-Swaim said.

-- bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.

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