LA PASSE — Whitewater Region Mayor Hal Johnson believes the worse of the flooding is over, and it’s now time for clean-up.
The water is slowly receding, he said Wednesday.
The Ministry of Natural Resources told him the event was so different from any other, that “it will take to mid-June before everything is back to normal.”
It’s now time to come up with clean-up procedures to help the people affected the most, Mayor Johnson said.
“Staff are coming up with ideas and they’ll be discussed at the next (council) meeting,” he said, which is Wednesday, May 24.
While some roads are in terrible shape due to the flooding, the potholes created won’t be repaired until the water recedes more, he said.
“There were some pretty off-the-cuff things tried, but they didn’t work (in other municipalities),” Mayor Johnson said. “We’ll just have to wait for the water to go down and then repair the roads.”
As for the home owners hoping for financial assistance, “the whole system has changed,” and they will now be applying directly to a ministry for financial assistance – however, which ministry has yet to be determined, he said. When that decision has been made, council will be informed and it will then let the people know.
Only home owners and businesses will receive financial aid, Mayor Johnson said.
“It’s very, very unfair,” but cottage owners will not be able to claim for financial aid, “it’s only full-time residents and businesses who will get funding.”
He’s hopeful cottage owners have some insurance to fall back on.
As for the days during the flooding, Mayor Johnson said this community pulled together, as it has done in the past.
“Our community has dealt with so much flooding for so long, neighbour helped neighbour, there was even a large contingent from the Mennonite community,” he said.
Mayor Johnson “gives a big pat on the back” to staff members Randy Buckwalt, Sandra Moss and Jordan Durocher. “Jordan has done a phenomenal job for just coming on board” and “Randy and Sandra were very diligent in keeping things available. There were 30,000 sandbags and 35 loads of sand” put out into the flooded areas for people to use, he said.
