“We’re not going to walk away:” Gilberton looks ahead at next steps

GILBERTON – A town hall meeting at the Continental Hose Co. in Gilberton began to look ahead at the next steps post-flood for the eastern third of the borough.

Mayor Mary Lou Hannon began by recapping the similar circumstances which occurred in 2006.

“It was caused by 17 inches of rain [then,]” Hannon said. [This] was caused by something else.”

“I’m so sorry that all of you have to go through all this. My heart aches for each and every one of you,” Hannon continued. “I want you all to know, we are going to be here until the end. Until we get back to normal, whenever that may be, but we are not going to walk away from any of you.”

Hannon was joined on a panel by borough officials, including Barry Brassington, fire marshal, Steve Bolusky, borough fire chief, and Frank Jackowiak, Emergency Management Coordinator, and Dan Malloy, borough council president.

“These four individuals have been affected, big time, by the flood, just like everyone here,” Hannon said.

Hannon was additionally joined by Borough Council Vice President Michael Van Allen, Councilman Lloyd George and Mark Kiersey, Solicitor Paul Domalakes, and Mahanoy Area High School’s Class of 2021 president.

Meals, tetatnus shots to be offered

Hannon commended various volunteers and organizations who have stepped up to the plate to help out all impacted by the flood, whether it be donating food or refreshments or helping out in other ways.

Those efforts are continuing, she said.

“The meals will be provided daily,” Hannon said. “The Salvation Army will be doing suppers, they’ll have their canteen truck here tomorrow for supper, we’ll have them drop a few off for the people working with the pumps, and I would like everybody affected by [the flood] to come out here at 4:00pm tomorrow to get their supper.”

“We will continue that as long as we have to,” Hannon added.

Additonally, Hannon said that tetanus shots will be offered tomorrow for residents and first responders who have been in the flood waters.

The shots will be provided by Lehigh Valley Hospital – Schuylkill at the American Hose Company in the Mahanoy Plane section of the borough from 1pm to 4pm Tuesday.

Masks are required, Hannon said.

Residents urged to document flood damage, create list of needs

Hannon urged residents to take and preserve photos of flood damage, as well as to develop a list of things they need for their house.

“Do you need someone to come in and rip your drywall down and your carpets up?” Hannon said. “We have people that are available throughout the county, from churches and other organizations, that are willing to come in and help all of you.”

“I would ask you all, when [the list] is completed, to contact me,” Hannon added.

Clean-up kits were also put together and distributed at the meeting, with more on the way.

Hannon also said that volunteers and the borough will help with trash removal from homes, and noted that Mahanoy City borough offered to help with manpower in the effort.

“You won’t have to worry about landfill costs and getting dumpsters in to clean it up yourselves,” Hannon said.

In addition, the borough is going to solicit donations via GoFundMe to help flood victims.

“The borough is going to start a GoFundMe for all victims related to this flood,” Hannon said. “It will be divided up equally when it all comes in.”

The GoFundMe will be distributed per a tally of flood victims.

Hannon also said that the fire marshal, chief, and EMA coordinator must sign off before residents re-enter their impacted homes.

“We don’t want you walking into your property and getting hurt,” Brassington said.

PennDOT ‘looking into’ where floodwaters are coming from

Malloy said that PennDOT has had civil engineers in town and are ‘looking into’ where floodwaters are coming from.

“They want to find out where this water is coming from,” Malloy said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Malloy said the engineers will be out-and-about in town at work.

“I will tell everyone that they were making some changes today at the construction site,” Hannon said. “We have lots of pictures documenting [the site].”

Solicitor explains legal status of situation

“What the legal ramifications are will depend entirely on what the actual facts are,” said Borough Solicitor Paul Domalakes. “We’ve already begun processing these, identifying records, and making requests for them to look at what happened, but as Dan said, one of the questions is ‘Where is all this water coming from?’ That’s important to answer before I tell you we have a clear path to establish some sort of liability here.”

Domalakes commended the borough council’s position.

“They have their priorities straight. They’re trying to take care of you and your homes first. We’re not immediately running around and trying to run to court and blame somebody,” Domalakes said.

Domalakes then spoke about what may happen if the suspected cause, the Gilberton overpass construction site, is the case.

“There is a potential for liability against those entities by every individual and by the borough itself [if that is the case,] but I don’t want to say any more until we get some facts,” Domalakes said, noting every involved entity is in the fact gathering stage. “Until we get more facts, that’s where we are.”

Domalakes said that he’s been making requests from various agencies and has enlisted the help of stormwater engineers as well.

Residents express concerns

One resident expressed concerns regarding returning to her flood-damaged home with a cancer-ailed husband.

“I had to move into a motel. I cannot take him back to that house the way it smells,” the resident said. “We have no electric. I want it replaced and I want it replaced with what it would cost if we had flood insurance, and I would have flood insurance if we could afford it. They wanted $500 down for flood insurance.”

She noted that the water had receded from her house, but the concern remains. She also said she was pleased with the borough’s help, but needs further from the state.

Another resident said that he doesn’t plan on paying damages out of his own pocket.

“The state is going to have to pay for everything, absolutely everything,” the man said.

Girardville borough offers support

Girardville Mayor Michael Zangari was on-hand, offering the support of his borough to aid the flood relief efforts.

“Our residents in Girardville want to help. We understand you guys are in a situation that no one ever wants to be in,” Zangari said. “What we’re working on right now is coordinating a way to do some type of non-financial drive.”

Zangari said the drive would focus on things like cleaning supplies, appliances, and other household appliances, and said he hopes to have a finalized plan by Wednesday.

“We’re three miles away but we want to be here for you all now,” Zangari added.

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