Connellsville flood recovery committee disperses funds, dissolves
Amy Fauth | Herald-Standard
The flood recovery team in Connellsville of Roy “Barney” Shipley, state Rep. Ryan Warner, Mayor Greg Lincoln, Rita Smith and Amy Price, marks a bittersweet end to the Greater Connellsville Flood Relief Fund Committee, which met every week for nearly two years as it disbursed relief funds to residents in the area who were affected by the flood of Aug. 29, 2016. The committee divided its remaining $72,000 equally to volunteer fire departments in Bullskin and Connellsville townships, along with New Haven Hose Co., the Fayette County Swift Water Rescue Team and Fayette County VoAD, all of whom played such an integral role in the recovery efforts.
The Greater Connellsville flood recovery team after a press conference Tuesday at which the Flood Relief Fund Committee dissolved after nearly two years. Members of the team included Amy Price, Flood Recovery Center Coordinator; Roy “Barney” Shipley, Fayette County EMA Director; Rita Smith, committee chair; Ryan Warner, PA state Representative, and Greg Lincoln, Mayor of Connellsville.
Amy Fauth | Herald-Standard
Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln addresses the crowd during the Greater Connellsville Flood Relief Fund Committee’s wrap-up press conference while other members of the team look on, including (from left) Fayette County EMA director Roy Shipley, state Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Perryoppolis, Amy Price, coordinator of the Flood Recovery Center; and Rita Smith, committee chair. After nearly two years, the committee has disbursed all of its funds and dissolved on Tuesday.
Aug. 29, 2016, was one of the darkest days in Connellsville history.
The area suffered catastrophic flooding after a severe storm dumped more than 5 inches of rain within two hours the night before. People lost belongings, buildings were damaged — some homes were ultimately demolished because the flood waters caused problems too severe to fix.
This week, officials hoped to close that chapter as the Greater Connellsville Flood Relief Fund Committee dispersed the last $71,744.50 in funds and dissolved.
The committee received and dispersed $708,544.08 through private donations from individuals, businesses and churches, along with a $250,000 state grant through the Department of Conservation and Economic Development, according to Rita Smith, chair of the relief fund committee. After all qualified flood survivor applicants received assistance, the fund’s balance was split equally five ways with $14,348.90 distributed to the Bullskin and Connellsville township volunteer fire departments, New Haven Hose Co., Fayette County Swift Water Rescue Team and Fayette County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, a group that assists communities across Fayette County during disasters.
Since the remaining funds were from the state grant, the committee felt it was important that those dollars be funneled to an appropriate place.
“This is taxpayer (money), that $250,000. So, we thought the best use was to benefit as many taxpayers as possible while still remaining true to those who assisted with the flood,” said Smith.
The committee first met on Sept. 12, 2016, and began distributing funds in October 2016.
The end of the committee is a bit bittersweet for the members.
“We really were a team. I know the flood survivors had it worse than we ever did, but it was still a challenging two years for all of us,” Smith said. “I am genuinely proud of the work we did. I was proud of our team and was proud to serve on it. I would like to thank the community for their support, their prayers and guidance. We couldn’t have done it without everyone be involved.”
The sense of community was a significant theme during the recovery and on the committee.
“This is such a bittersweet day,” said Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln, who reported the last of the flood-affected homes in Dutch Bottom are being torn down soon.
He added that this flood was the worst of times — but highlighted the best in people.
“The amazing thing about this flood was that none of us had ever gone through something like it. Thankfully, we had Rita Smith who worked in Hurricane Katrina. She was able to step in and give us guidance and help us from the start. I can never thank her enough,” Lincoln said.
He praised Community Ministries for stepping right in, entering full recovery mode from the very beginning. Aid from the fire departments and other organization’s receiving the $14,000 was key to helping those who were devastated by flooding.
“They didn’t fight any fires during this flood. They were in full clean-up mode and then opened up their social halls for the distribution of materials and resources.”
There were too many people who had a hand in the recovery efforts to thank them all individually, he said.
“It was an amazing time in our history,” said Lincoln. “I don’t think we’d ever be able to top the community spirit that came out of this flood.”
State Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Perryopolis, recalled getting reports on flooding in the Connellsville area, and drove there the morning after the rains to assess the damage. Initially, he said, the damage didn’t seem severe.
“(T)hen I turned down into Dutch Bottom. I saw a disaster area. It’s something to this day that I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Warner continued on to Bullskin Township.
“It was shocking at first. It was complete shock. I remember thinking to myself, ‘Where do you begin?’, but by the time I got there that morning the community had already begun.”
He witnessed neighbors helping neighbors doing what they could to clean up. Businesses brought equipment in to help where they could. The local fire departments organized collection points for supplies hoping members of the community would show up.
They did, in droves.
“There’s never been a community that has responded like ours did during a natural disaster. None of them. That just made me proud to be a part of this community and proud to represent this community,” he said.
He recalls a quote by Gene Kranz of NASA during the Apollo 13 disaster and said it fits with Connellsville.
“He overheard someone saying, ‘This could be the worst disaster NASA has ever experienced.’ And Kranz responded, ‘With all due respect, sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour.'”
Smith said Connellsville area residents couldn’t have overcome such tough circumstances without the compassion and generosity that came from outside the area as well. Schools from nearby counties held donation drives at football games and many churches supported their efforts through cash donations and supplies. And, when people in other counties, other states and other countries learned of the disaster, they sent donations from far and wide. Smith said one donation came in from as far away as Israel.
Now that this chapter is closing for Connellsville, Smith urged the community to pay it forward when others face similar disasters, such as the recent flooding in Allegheny County and the flooding and tornado recovery in Uniontown.
“They were all there for us when we needed them. Now, we need to be there for them.”