Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The opening of three storm assistance centers, legislation to provide additional emergency funding, and a proposal to expedite municipal borrowing are among the latest developments in the state and local response to the devastating tornadoes and severe thunderstorms that hit Central and Western Massachusetts on June 1.
A $52 million supplemental budget bill filed by Gov. Deval Patrick yesterday includes $10 million to pay for overtime and other costs of the emergency response by state agencies such as the Massachusetts State Police and the National Guard.
The bill would also eliminate the requirement for approval from the Legislature and the Municipal Finance Oversight Board for short-term municipal borrowing in the event of an emergency. The bill would also allow emergency borrowing for capital purposes for a longer term with the approval of the MFOB.
Under the bill, communities that have not adopted the local-option alternate property tax assessment date would be allowed to provide fiscal 2012 property tax relief to property owners affected by the tornadoes. Fiscal 2012 property taxes would be based on the damaged condition of the properties.
The bill includes language that would allow the governor to draw up to $25 million from the state’s “Rainy Day” fund in the case of a disaster where other funding cannot be identified to support the costs of emergency preparedness and response.
The Division of Local Services has released a bulletin that summarizes the options cities and towns have under state law to finance emergency expenses and provide property tax relief following the damaging storms. The bulletin also explains the local finance options proposed by the governor in legislation filed this week.
• Download DLS Bulletin 2011-07B (32K PDF)
At a press conference last week in Springfield, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said a top priority is to obtain a federal disaster declaration for the areas hit by the tornadoes so that residents and state and local governments would be eligible to apply for federal aid.
The governor said state teams are documenting the need for federal disaster assistance in the region.
“We expect to finish [the process] this week … and then make our application for a presidential declaration of disaster,” the governor said at a press conference. “When that is granted, and we expect it will be, then the federal resources will be available at those same recovery centers. There will be just one place where people can go to get all the help that is available.”
The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation said today that home insurance claims filed in Massachusetts have reached $90 million – a new record – and are expected to rise.
Those who wish to volunteer or provide aid are advised to call the United Way Volunteer Center at (877) 211-6277, or the Salvation Army at (413) 733-1518, or Springfield City Hall at (413) 787-6100. (Leave your name, email, phone number, and the services you’d like to provide.)
Officials in Springfield said they are still assessing damage and determining what help they need.
Donations may be made to the Red Cross [call (800) 733-2767], the United Way of Pioneer Valley Tornado Relief Fund (www.uwpv.org), or the Greater Springfield Tornado Relief Fund (19 Harrison Ave., Springfield, MA 01103-2048).
The state has developed a central website – www.mass.gov/stormrecovery – for tornado recovery resources, including rebuilding information, consumer resources, and ways people can help.
State-run Storm Assistance Centers opened on June 3 in three of the communities hardest hit by the storms – Springfield, Monson and Southbridge – to consolidate services available for those affected by the storms.
Representatives from state agencies will be on site at all three centers and will help area residents meet their immediate health, human service, housing and employment needs, according to the governor’s office. The centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority is working with affected school districts and is reviewing with local officials the process for filing emergency Statements of Interest for school rebuilding or repair projects. To begin the eSOI process, a district must contact the MSBA within 10 days of the emergency situation.
In Springfield, the City Council on Monday gave the mayor permission to “deficit spend” to cover tornado-related costs borne by city departments, ranging from overtime pay to emergency demolition.
The city’s daily newspaper, The Springfield Republican, reports that the city has already spent close to $4 million since the tornadoes struck and could eventually spend roughly $38 million, according to the city’s Finance Department. City officials hope that most of the costs will be reimbursed by future state and federal disaster aid.
The city published an extensive Tornado Assistance Resource Guide to provide information to residents about shelters, home safety, clean-up efforts, food aid, and damage and claim reporting, among other issues. For example, the guide includes advice from Building Commissioner Steve Desilets, who warns homeowners using tarps on damaged roofs not to block the chimney or air vents in order to avoid the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
All but two of the city’s schools, which had been closed since the storms hit, reopened on Monday. Schools in Monson reopened this morning.
Roughly 250 displaced Springfield residents remain in an emergency shelter at the MassMutual Center, according to the Red Cross. Another shelter is still open in West Springfield.
In Wilbraham, which was struck by one of the three tornadoes, Public Works Director Edmond Miga said the town got an “excellent response” from its electric utility, National Grid, in helping to reopen roads. He said the towns of Granby, East Longmeadow and Ludlow sent crews to help, and the state Department of Transportation sent crews and electronic sign boards. A representative from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has been on site since the beginning of the clean-up effort, he said.
“Everyone has been spectacular,” he said. “We appreciate all the help. … The first 72 hours were the critical ones to get all our roads open and re-establish electric service. I had to be very careful not to get too many crews in; they would be in each other’s way.”
He said the town hired a contractor out of the Emergency Operations Center who is on the state’s contractor list.
“They bring in resources to do the work and coordinate all activity, so it [will be] federal reimbursable,” Miga said. “That is the key issue. … At this point, the bill we will get for the cleanup scares me.”
Hadley Town Administrator David Nixon said his town sent its building inspector to Monson for three days to help the town determine which structures were safe to inhabit.
“We were very fortunate,” he said of his town, which experienced hail, strong winds and multiple lightning strikes, but no tornado damage or power outages. “We were in the position where we could offer help to our neighbors.”
Gov. Patrick said he has called on agencies across state government to work collaboratively to meet the immediate health, human service, housing and employment needs of those affected by the storms. He said agencies of the executive offices of Health and Human Services, Housing and Economic Development, and Labor and Workforce Development will be on site in Springfield, Monson and Southbridge to help area residents resolve their urgent needs.
Representatives from the departments of Transitional Assistance, Mental Health, Public Health and Veterans’ Services, as well as the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, have been sent to each of the Storm Assistance Centers to help residents. Staff will be on site to help individuals and families obtain cash assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, seek crisis counseling support services, and apply for a range of other benefits.
The Storm Assistance Centers are also being staffed by public- and private-sector economic development leaders and nonprofit partners who can offer affected businesses and homeowners advice on available state and federal resources that can assist with repairs, rebuilding and relocation, according to the governor’s office.
Experts from the Division of Insurance are available at the centers to guide consumers through the insurance claims process. The Division of Insurance has also activated its consumer hotline number – (617) 521-7777 – to handle calls from homeowners seeking assistance. [Damage from a tornado is considered wind damage and is covered by standard home insurance.]
The administration is also working with landlords to secure temporary office space for affected businesses in downtown Springfield.
The state’s Rapid Response Team is helping affected employees with filing for unemployment benefits.
The governor declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts on June 1, following tornado activity that produced high winds, significant property damage, power outages, and the loss of three lives. The declaration was amended on June 2 to include only the four counties hit hardest by the storms: Worcester County, Hampshire County, Hampden County and Franklin County.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has coordinated federal, state, local, voluntary and private resources following the disaster.
The following are the locations of the three Storm Assistance Centers:
Springfield
Department of Transitional Assistance Office
95 Liberty St.
(413) 858-1000
Palmer
Department of Developmental Service Central/West Regional Office
171 State Ave., Monson/Palmer line
(413) 283-3411 or (800) 323-3123
Southbridge
Department of Transitional Assistance Office
1 North St.
(508) 765-2400