Monette Mayor Bob Blankenship said clean-up from the Dec. 10 tornado is underway. Monette Manor, along with many homes were destroyed or damaged and one life was lost due to the storm.
“It was amazing the response and help we received,” Mayor Blankenship said. “Calls came in, help started arriving and it was obvious, people really care. One day we had 70 workers from Nucor here with chainsaws. We had a chainsaw crew from as far away as Springfield, along with so many others.
“Monette Manor got hit hard and at least 17 houses were damaged. There are at least nine homes totaled and it could be as many as 11, and three trailer homes were damaged.”
Mayor Blankenship said the state declared the area a disaster and the President has also declared it a disaster.
“The first phase is for individuals,” Mayor Blankenship said. “Homeowners who qualify may get up to $30,000 loans with no interest. We have a FEMA representative coming on Wednesday. Our state and federal representatives have been here and others have contacted us.”
He said the clean-up is about 90 percent complete. If the weather permits the clean up in Monette should be completed by the middle to end of January.
“We put it on hold for a few days until after Christmas,” Mayor Blankenship said. “We have a few yards and starting Monday, weather permitting, we will go back to work. We will get the debris to the curb and the county will come back and pick it up. I don’t know what we would have done without the county crew and the St. Francis Levee crew. The county brought in two track-hoes, a backhoe, seven dump trucks and about a dozen workers. The county crew was here before the last person from the nursing home was transported. The St. Francis crew had bulldozers and a dump truck. We also had several local farmers help. Most all of the power was restored by Sunday night following the Friday night tornado which has been classified as a F-4.
“I have worked in clean up and seen the damage tornadoes have done through my years on the fire department but this was the first tornado I heard. Everything went silent and then I heard the roar and then it went quiet again.”
Mayor Blankenship said he is proud that the owners of Monette Manor plan to rebuild. Monette Manor has long been a part of the community.
Behind the nursing home five duplexes, a transitional living facility, were under construction and only the slabs were left after the tornado.
“As far as I know, all but one or two families plan to stay and repair their homes or build back,” Mayor Blankenship said. “We had a lot of damage on Alena Street. As bad as it was, we still have a community and we will come back strong. We are blessed.”
Blankenship said even before becoming mayor, he had shelters around town, a new community center and a new fire station on his bucket list. He now sees the need even more and hopes to find funding for these projects for the citizens of Monette.
He said items from Buffalo Island are showing up in other states. He said he received a call from Hickman, Ky., from a gentleman who said he had found a vote for Gary Rowton, Monette City Council, near his Kentucky home.
A tornado relief center was set up at the BIC School where food, clothing and supplies were distributed. He said they received trucks of non perishable items from throughout the state and as far away as Dallas, Texas.
“It has been a blessing to see the outpouring of care and concern,” Mayor Blankenship said.
An account has been established at Centennial Bank in Monette in the name of the city of Monette community relief fund for anyone who would like to donate.