Pottstown facing $1M tab for storm cleanup
Storm damage estimated to rise above $1 million
Pottstown Borough Manager Justin Keller estimates the damage from the flash floods that swept through the borough July 11 will “easily be more than $1 million” to borough properties alone.
Damage assessments are still ongoing, said Keller, but he believes the extent of the damage will quickly surpass six figures.
“We’ve already opened an insurance claim and I was on a conference call Friday with the county emergency management office and Ciresi, Mensch, Hennessey and Dean’s offices to make sure they are all aware of the extent of the damage,” he said Monday.
He was referring to state representatives Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist., Tim Hennessey, R-26th Dist., state Sen. Robert Mensch, R-24th Dist. and U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-4th Dist.
A large tree fell in Riverfront Park and the trail there is closed, he said.
Keller said the borough suffered heavy damage to Memorial Park:
• With the pedestrian bridge over Manatawny Creek unsafe and closed;
• The spray park was closed because “our pump room was filled with three feet of water, so we don’t know if they are going to work;
• Fences at the park’s ballfields, as well as the dog park, were all damaged, as were the infield sections.
Another ballfield that saw severe damage was Pat Sundstrom field off Manatawny Street.
It is owned by the borough but under long-term lease to the nonprofit group Sports Enterprise, which has operated and main
tained the field for American Legion baseball league games there for more than 60 years.
They have established a GoFundMe campaign online to raise money to repair the damage.
“We just experienced some of the worst flooding ever. The one dugout has collapsed not to mention the fence line and numerous advertising signs just washed away. Two sets of bleachers washed away and too many other things to mention,” according to the notice.
You can make a contribution at https://www.gofundme.com/f/sundstromfield-in-pottstown Another major location for flood damage will come as little surprise to longtime Pottstown residents.
Once again, the College Drive underpass beneath the freight rail tracks was completely submerged.
But this time the damage was particularly bad, said Terry Jones, highway department foreman.
He took a break from hosing mud out of the finally empty underpass to note that “we had to pull a box truck out of here before we could get started. It floated in on its side.”
Jones said the flooding “is the worst I’ve ever seen” and noted that PennDOT recently re-built the traffic lights there. “They put the electric on the ground. We had it up on a pole. Now the lights are just blinking,” he said.
The borough is applying to Gov. Tom Wolf’s office for a disaster declaration, which would make both the borough and residents whose homes were damaged eligible for state grants and low-or-no-interest loans for repairs.
“We’re collecting information now and we’re asking that anyone with flood damage get in touch with us so we can provide the fullest picture possible to the state,” Keller said.
That could be good news to the Weber family.
They live in the homes right at the corner of Walnut and Manatawny streets and got some of the worst of the flooding.
Erin Weber, his wife Melissa and son Julian, were still busy Monday pulling things out of the basement to dry, or be thrown away in the giant dumpster now parked in the rear of their home.
Weber said he does not have flood insurance. Jake Bray does. A neighbor a few doors down, he had emptied his garage into the alley and was busy cleaning out and checking his lawn mower, trimmers and other equipment while his bulldog, who had to be carried out of the flood Thursday, lazed in the sun.
“I lost my water heater and my heater,” he said. “But that’s why I have flood insurance.”
Jim Karosek works for All Season Adjusters, a private firm hired by insurance company’s which are in turn hired by the federal government.
The federal government is the only entity that provides flood insurance, largely because the risks from water damage are too expensive for insurance companies to stomach.
Karosek said those with the proper flood insurance rider should call their agent to get an adjuster to inspect the property.
It may take some time, however. “Half our adjusters are already down in Louisiana” where Tropical Storm Barry is dumping rain.
Keller said the borough is looking into activating a clause with its trash hauler, Mascaro, to provide bulk pick-up for residents trying to get rid of flood-damaged goods.
“Some of them may be putting stuff out to dry and not want it taken away, so we’re going to be in touch with those residents once we get things set-up,” Keller said.
He also noted that the storm had created yet another sinkhole in the borough, this one in the alley off Airy Street between Spruce and North Hanover streets.
“The system gets surcharged when we get so much rain so fast and there’s nowhere else for it to go,” he said.
The borough also wants to send a team to check the storm tunnel downstream from 1200 High Street, where a sink hole opened up last year.
“They had four feet of water on the first floor, so we want to make sure there aren’t any obstructions downstream,” said Keller.