The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
FEMA, IEMA, County Board and Levee Commissioners, pastors,, Illinois Extension and Economic development representatives were present to answer questions of the county's flood victims last Wednesday evening at West Central School.
County Board Chairman Marty Lafary told residents, that rebuilding in flood areas is about safety concerns.
"I am not going to say go ahead and build. I am going to say don't do it until you find they are going to put the levee back."
Lafary said there is talk they (The Corp of Engineers) are not only not going to move it up to a 500 year levee, but they may reduce it from 100 to a 50 year levee.
"It's about safety. We've seen how fast it came back and it came back three times," Lafary said. "They are going to come in and build a temporary levee straight where the permanent levee will be. They are not going to go back to the heighth we had it. With all the flooding going on, they are pulled pretty thin," Lafary said. "They are going to try to be back by the first of November to put the permanent levee in but they are only going to 16 feet. I guarantee you, if water comes up, we are going to have to start building on top the levee."
Lafary said, air quality was okay in Gulfport but structural safety and water contamination is an issue in places.
He explained markings on homes where they've been checked for Abestos, Mold, Transit, or Structurally Unsafe where "L" or "X" is marked on the structure. Drilling in places 35 feet deep they found water testing as much as 7200 over, very hazardous.
Henderson County Board Chairman Marty Lafary, FEMA representatives and others here to help Henderson County flood victims answer questions of county's flood victims, Wednesday, September 10.- see page 7