PENDLETON — He came to see areas impacted by the Memorial Day storm.
He left impacted by the people of Pendleton.
U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) was in Pendleton on Friday, June 7, to meet with local emergency management officials at Town Hall and visit areas affected by the EF2 tornado.
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Young viewed a six-minute video, produced by South Madison Community Foundation, showing tornado damage along with comments from residents.
Next came a 40-minute meeting with Pendleton town leaders, American Red Cross and first responders.
Following the meeting, Young surveyed some of the local landscape, touring the west side of town and Falls Park, viewing some of the areas hit hardest by the storm.
He spent nearly two hours in town.
On Wednesday, June 5, Young’s regional director, Monica Bowles Kozlowski, conducted mobile office hours for two hours at American Legion Post 117 in Pendleton, helping constituents who need help or whom have experienced troubles with federal agencies.
“It has been inspiring,” Young said of how the town has reacted to the devastation. “I think it’s a model for the rest of the country, but this is what Hoosiers do. They step up and they help out neighbors when they need it. Clearly that has happened in this case. That’s inspiring to me. I know it has inspired others.”
Young said he was “touched” by the emotional video and told Pendleton leaders “we just want to be helpful however we can.”
Pendleton leaders and Young said they don’t think the town will qualify for funds for repairs through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
There are expected to be opportunities through the U.S. Small Business Administration as well as the Urban Forestry Division through the Department of National Resources for some recovery because of the large-scale tree damage.
“There’s a federal role for the small business administration to help out,” Young said. “There appears to be a federal role for U.S. Forest Service to provide some measure of compensation as it relates to the timber stands that are valuable and were destroyed in the course of this disaster.
“There may be a federal role in respect to some of the infrastructure that something will be working federal authorities on in coming days, but, without question, there’s an ongoing federal role for us to learn lessons from what we saw here, that the next time a tornado hits an Indiana community we can patch any holes that may have existed in the overall response.”
Town council President Jessica Smith said measures for government aid have been put in motion with information still being collected from business owners and residents.
“I do feel federal is not going to happen, and we knew that,” she said. “We can’t make any promises, but we have been working closely with the DNR to get Urban Forest Strike Teams to survey the tree damage, especially in the park. The community has done a great job raising funds through the South Madison Community Foundation, and once we get a handle on what the un-met needs are — those uninsured, under-insured claims, and find out what residents are still needing — we will have a better idea of what we need to go after, find grants or aid.”
Smith and other town officials were pleased to see Young, get his feedback and show him how the town has bonded during this difficult time.
“It’s good to know we’re not being forgotten,” Smith said. “As high up as he is in the government to come to show his support to the community, it’s humbling. We all know that Pendleton is a special community, but it’s nice to hear that coming from someone like him.”
Town manager Tim McClintick drove Young to the west side of town and to the park to view the storm damage.
“I think the community will be very happy that somebody at that level of the government is taking time to stop and meet with us and see our community,” McClintick said. “We’ve had great support from mayors across the state, also U.S. Sen. (Mike) Braun and Congresswoman (Susan) Brooks offices called to check if we needed anything, and we have had contact with Lieutenant Gov. (Suzanne Crouch’s) office. It has been overwhelming with the response and support, not just locally, but statewide.
“I think (Young) was impressed with the overwhelming support of the community.”
Young said as much.
“That’s what I have found most striking about my visit today, just how neighbor has stepped up to help neighbor,” Young said. “In every instance (Friday), I’ve heard how this community has figured out how to meet the needs of individual citizens, whether it’s property damage or connecting with loved ones, or meeting immediate health care needs, planning for future infrastructure improvements. People have stepped up oftentimes in informal capacities and well outside of their official responsibilities just for the good of the community.”
