Borough continues flood recovery

MAT-SU — More than three weeks after waters began to subside, the Mat-Su Borough continues its work to recover from last month’s flooding disaster.

Borough damage estimates gathered in the immediate aftermath — 823 buildings damaged and 14 destroyed — remain unrevised, according to the latest borough press release.

The borough is offering help on a few fronts. It has agreed to cover the $54 cost of testing well water for people whose homes or yards were flooded. To get a test, call Lorrie Moffit at 861-7491. Samples have to be dropped off within 24 hours.

Also, Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Warren Keogh has kept the promise he made at a flood recovery meeting Sept. 27 and convinced his colleagues on the assembly to waive a $100 permit fee to build in a floodplain. At Tuesday’s meeting, he said he was glad the assembly agreed with him.

At that meeting in the Butte, he said, “This was the only thing that generated any smiles.”

Doing something about the Matanuska River — which, though only one of the many that flooded, has been plaguing Butte and Sutton residents for years, claiming multiple homes — is already on the borough’s wish list of projects to seek state funding for next year’s election.

The wish list contains a $2.5 million request for “Matanuska River management,” but the list is far from final.

The borough says all flood-damaged roads — with the exception of the Shirley Towne Bridge in Willow — have been repaired and are at least passable. Alternate access to properties across that bridge has been created after crews who had started work before the floods double-timed efforts to build a second bridge.

The first round of meetings has been completed, but the borough has plans for a second round at:

• 7 p.m., Nov. 5 in the Willow Community Center at the Willow Area Community Organization meeting.

• The Butte Community Council meeting Nov. 13.

• 6 p.m., Oct. 25 at the Glacier View Community Council meeting.

The borough continues to work with the state and federal governments to assess damage to public buildings and infrastructure. The state has already declared the flooding a disaster. If the federal government follows suit, it could mean up to $31,400 available to help each affected homeowner recover. Word on whether that will happen is expected in late November.

To start the process of accessing that assistance money, call (855) 445-7131. Nov. 20 is the deadline to file a claim.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.