| The Sun-Times Serving Williamsville and Sherman |
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No federal aid for Sherman flood victims
By Byron Painter
Editor
Despite torrential rains that led to significant property damage, including the loss of one side of a
resident’s basement wall, there will be no federal aid forthcoming to the Village of Sherman, Village
President Trevor Clatfelter said Tuesday at the village board meeting.
Clatfelter found this out after talking with David Butt of the Sangamon County Emergency Management
Agency.
The magic number is $15 million in damages, which Sherman will not meet.
To compound matters, homeowners insurance will not cover the numerous damages to residents, further
exacerbating the issue.
Clatfelter and the Board plan to approach local banks with a pitch to provide low-interest loans to
affected property owners, though the president admitted he is not sure if it will work.
The village got almost two inches of rain Friday afternoon, then was deluged early Saturday morning; more
than one report received by Clatfelter noted more than seven inches of rain in that 12-hour span.
Amazingly, some people slept through the Saturday morning deluge, but people like Chris Reid were
not as lucky.
Reid, who lives at 35 Woodsmill in Birch Lakes, lost one side of her basement wall; her initial estimate
was $30,000 of damage, and her case was not the worst financially, she said.
Many people in Sherman are not even eligible for flood insurance either, noted Village Engineer Tim
Swanson and Clatfelter.
The village is limited with what it can do, said Clatfelter, whose village has been drilled more than once
in recent weeks with heavy rains.
Several people in town noted that the most recent rain might have been the worst ever, with several feet
of water in many places, including a visible gas line and sinkholes.
Sherman will receive assistance from local authorities, and Clatfelter and others on the board profusely
thanked the Williamsville Police Department for their help in the immediate aftermath.
The term “500-year flood,” which has been bandied about with this incident and others earlier this year,
is somewhat misleading, according to Clatfelter, who likened it to playing the lottery, because the same
numbers that might win one week might come up again a week or two later.
“It is all about probability,” said Clatfelter, who used the word ‘astounding’ to describe some of the water
levels and damage. “But nothing could have absorbed that much water that short a time.”
The Emergency Response Coalition, made up of local unions, has already helped considerably, noted
the president, including the fixing of the sinkhole on Sebring Drive.
Randy Burge, Deputy Director of Sherman’s Emergency Management Division, noted that calls after the
Saturday rains filled two full pages of legal size paper.
The rains receded almost as fast as they fell in many cases.
The village will sustain significant overtime costs because of this event, Clatfelter said. Extra personnel
were called in to help, and the incident “will be very costly” to the village.
But with the extremely saturated ground, it will be tough to fix some of the problems because machinery
will not be able to avoid getting stuck in the ground.
The village passed the annual prevailing wage ordinance unanimously (6-0), then spent about 20
minutes debating the 2008-09 budget ordinance.
The budget is balanced, said Clatfelter, and the budget is a “low-growth” budget, taking into account the
slowdown in the national economy.
There was a $36,000 drop in sales tax revenue, but the income tax increases almost covered that entire
difference.
There is money in the budget to purchase some much-needed equipment for the public works
department, including a new snowplow and backhoe, which will be borrowed over a few years.
“Taking on a little debt is not a bad thing,” said Trustee Kevin Schultz, Chairman of the Budget, Finance
and Audits Committee.
Much of the money is reimburseable from the TIF fund as well, added Clatfelter.
There are plans to hire a seventh full-time police officer.
“There have been issues with overtime,” said Clatfelter, who noted that Chief Eric Smith, who is
salaried, put in 341 (almost one a day) uncompensated hours.
An additional public works employee will also be hired, preferably with a mechanical background.
The village spent over $90,000 last year on maintenance, from sewer lines, squad cars and other
vehicles.
The village could save a significant portion of that money with an in-house mechanic.
The lack of a village administrator, already a sore spot, was even more evident this weekend, according
to Clatfelter, who along with many trustees spent much of the weekend working on the flood issues.
“It (hiring a village administrator) will help us become much more efficient,” said Clatfelter.
An ideal village administrator would have an economic development background, according to Clatfelter,
where the new hire could help pay his/her salary by bringing in new business.
Clatfelter highlighted the teamwork and cost-cutting of the current board in helping Sherman battle
through the economic slowdown, including a whopping cut in legal expenses.
After spending $175,000 and $210,000 in years prior to his administration, legal fees were less than
$15,000 in the most recent fiscal year, according to Clatfelter, and “our legal counsel is better than it has
ever been.”
Schultz asserted that the new equipment, paid for over a few years, would be a very good investment for
the village because that equipment should last for many more years after that.
Much of the final 15 minutes of the meeting were spent on sesquicentennial issues; the celebration is just
over two months away.
The first few minutes of the meeting featured Treasurer Dick Ogden’s report; some of the highlights
included the general fund being up almost $50,000 and the primary TIF fund balance increasing by over
$400,000.
The meeting adjourned at 8:44, 101 minutes after it started.
By Byron Painter
Editor
Despite torrential rains that led to significant property damage, including the loss of one side of a
resident’s basement wall, there will be no federal aid forthcoming to the Village of Sherman, Village
President Trevor Clatfelter said Tuesday at the village board meeting.
Clatfelter found this out after talking with David Butt of the Sangamon County Emergency Management
Agency.
The magic number is $15 million in damages, which Sherman will not meet.
To compound matters, homeowners insurance will not cover the numerous damages to residents, further
exacerbating the issue.
Clatfelter and the Board plan to approach local banks with a pitch to provide low-interest loans to
affected property owners, though the president admitted he is not sure if it will work.
The village got almost two inches of rain Friday afternoon, then was deluged early Saturday morning; more
than one report received by Clatfelter noted more than seven inches of rain in that 12-hour span.
Amazingly, some people slept through the Saturday morning deluge, but people like Chris Reid were
not as lucky.
Reid, who lives at 35 Woodsmill in Birch Lakes, lost one side of her basement wall; her initial estimate
was $30,000 of damage, and her case was not the worst financially, she said.
Many people in Sherman are not even eligible for flood insurance either, noted Village Engineer Tim
Swanson and Clatfelter.
The village is limited with what it can do, said Clatfelter, whose village has been drilled more than once
in recent weeks with heavy rains.
Several people in town noted that the most recent rain might have been the worst ever, with several feet
of water in many places, including a visible gas line and sinkholes.
Sherman will receive assistance from local authorities, and Clatfelter and others on the board profusely
thanked the Williamsville Police Department for their help in the immediate aftermath.
The term “500-year flood,” which has been bandied about with this incident and others earlier this year,
is somewhat misleading, according to Clatfelter, who likened it to playing the lottery, because the same
numbers that might win one week might come up again a week or two later.
“It is all about probability,” said Clatfelter, who used the word ‘astounding’ to describe some of the water
levels and damage. “But nothing could have absorbed that much water that short a time.”
The Emergency Response Coalition, made up of local unions, has already helped considerably, noted
the president, including the fixing of the sinkhole on Sebring Drive.
Randy Burge, Deputy Director of Sherman’s Emergency Management Division, noted that calls after the
Saturday rains filled two full pages of legal size paper.
The rains receded almost as fast as they fell in many cases.
The village will sustain significant overtime costs because of this event, Clatfelter said. Extra personnel
were called in to help, and the incident “will be very costly” to the village.
But with the extremely saturated ground, it will be tough to fix some of the problems because machinery
will not be able to avoid getting stuck in the ground.
The village passed the annual prevailing wage ordinance unanimously (6-0), then spent about 20
minutes debating the 2008-09 budget ordinance.
The budget is balanced, said Clatfelter, and the budget is a “low-growth” budget, taking into account the
slowdown in the national economy.
There was a $36,000 drop in sales tax revenue, but the income tax increases almost covered that entire
difference.
There is money in the budget to purchase some much-needed equipment for the public works
department, including a new snowplow and backhoe, which will be borrowed over a few years.
“Taking on a little debt is not a bad thing,” said Trustee Kevin Schultz, Chairman of the Budget, Finance
and Audits Committee.
Much of the money is reimburseable from the TIF fund as well, added Clatfelter.
There are plans to hire a seventh full-time police officer.
“There have been issues with overtime,” said Clatfelter, who noted that Chief Eric Smith, who is
salaried, put in 341 (almost one a day) uncompensated hours.
An additional public works employee will also be hired, preferably with a mechanical background.
The village spent over $90,000 last year on maintenance, from sewer lines, squad cars and other
vehicles.
The village could save a significant portion of that money with an in-house mechanic.
The lack of a village administrator, already a sore spot, was even more evident this weekend, according
to Clatfelter, who along with many trustees spent much of the weekend working on the flood issues.
“It (hiring a village administrator) will help us become much more efficient,” said Clatfelter.
An ideal village administrator would have an economic development background, according to Clatfelter,
where the new hire could help pay his/her salary by bringing in new business.
Clatfelter highlighted the teamwork and cost-cutting of the current board in helping Sherman battle
through the economic slowdown, including a whopping cut in legal expenses.
After spending $175,000 and $210,000 in years prior to his administration, legal fees were less than
$15,000 in the most recent fiscal year, according to Clatfelter, and “our legal counsel is better than it has
ever been.”
Schultz asserted that the new equipment, paid for over a few years, would be a very good investment for
the village because that equipment should last for many more years after that.
Much of the final 15 minutes of the meeting were spent on sesquicentennial issues; the celebration is just
over two months away.
The first few minutes of the meeting featured Treasurer Dick Ogden’s report; some of the highlights
included the general fund being up almost $50,000 and the primary TIF fund balance increasing by over
$400,000.
The meeting adjourned at 8:44, 101 minutes after it started.
Issue Date: July 17, 2008