BY TOM O'NEILL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HOW ITS ALLOCATED
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The budget for the Clermont County Flood Hazard Mitigation Program has been cut to $2,071,249 from its October 1997 projected figure of $2,487,567. These figures do not include New Richmond's $1,155,700. Here are federally funded projects already under way:
| Mitigation plan | No. of properties | Percentage |
| Elevations | 38 | 44 |
| Acquisition | 23 | 42 |
| Acquisition of property/relocation of structure | 3 | 5 |
| Flood proofing | 40 | 4 |
| Demolition costs | 23 | 4 |
| Moving expenses | 26 (households) | 3 |
| Legal fees, appraisals and closing costs | 26 each | 1 |
Note: Percentages exceed 100 due to rounding off
Source: Clermont County Community Planning and Development |
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BATAVIA -- In what one Clermont County official called a "milestone" in the continuing recovery from the Flood of 1997, a federal grant of more than $500,000 was announced at a public hearing Wednesday.
The grant of $506,342 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will be split between the county and New Richmond, with the county getting $256,342 and the village $250,000.
The village is handled separately from the county because it already was involved in 1996 flood assistance and the '97 flood damage was simply added, according to assistant county administrator David L. Spinney.
"It's a milestone, . . . but it's really just the beginning," Mr. Spinney said, noting that it will be at least four or five months before the money reaches residents.
The news, nonetheless, was a great relief to Linda Bauer of Water Street in Moscow, whose personal flood recovery efforts continued Wednesday afternoon after the hearing.
"I just finished putting in my kitchen cabinets today," Ms. Bauer said.
The assistance program is entirely voluntary. People can choose from among: a residential buyout; flood proofing, which typically involves constructing floodwalls, sealing basements or moving heating and air conditioner units, furnaces and other large appliances above the flood plain; or elevation, in which homes are raised. Or, they can choose not to participate.
"It puts people in control," Beth Nevel, Washington Township Emergency Services fire chief, said after the hearing. "It's something we've been waiting for, anticipating and hoping for. This opens up the next phase, healing."
Nineteen people attended the hearing. One of those who attended, Mary Campbell of Point Pleasant, didn't suffer flood damage but came out of respect for those who did.
"This'll help people get a new start," she said. "We're staying and (the river's) going to flood again, and if we can reduce flood loss in the future, fine."
