Town seeks state disaster grant
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

CANTON – Preliminary damage estimates from last week’s flooding total more than $2.1 million.

Town officials and representatives from several social service agencies worked Monday assessing the damage to homes, infrastructure, municipal equipment and other costs associated with the natural disaster.

On Dec. 17 and 18, a combination of ice jams and heavy snowfall and rainfall caused the Androscoggin River to rise more than 8 feet in 24 hours. The river flooded basements, agricultural lands and the village center. High water also prompted the evacuation of more than 50 homes and all residents from a nursing home.

By late Monday, only a handful of people were unable to return to their homes to begin the mopping-up process. All 110 Victorian Villa Rehabilitation and Living Center residents returned to the nursing home Friday afternoon after having spent Thursday night at a shelter in the Hartford/Sumner Elementary School or in nursing homes in the Lewiston-Auburn area.

Canton Elementary School students were transported to Dixfield Elementary School for classes.

Federal Emergency Management Agency people will assess the town for possible disaster benefits later in the week, said Dennis Lajoie of Community Concepts, the organization that coordinated Monday’s damage tally.

The social service agency interviewed about 40 families on Saturday and another 20 on Monday, trying to assess their needs and making them aware of the services offered.

Meanwhile, the town is going after $152,200 from the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s Community Disaster Block Grant program.

A public hearing and special town meeting to accept whatever funding the agency will provide to the town has been set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the municipal building.

Help for flood victims has been pouring in from throughout the area, including more than $2,000 cash to the town office by mid-afternoon on Monday. The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Community Concepts and individuals and businesses have donated food, clothing, firewood and other items. Meals provided by the Salvation Army were available at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall.

The 10-person fire and rescue crew has been busy, often working with little or no sleep, during the past few days pumping out cellars, some several times. Crews from the Jay and Minot fire departments helped.

Assistant Chief Mark Blanchette said the fire and rescue squad will likely be mopping up for another couple of days, unless more heavy rain hits.

“We don’t want anymore rain,” he said.

“People are beginning to get stressed and tired,” said Selectmen Vice-Chairman Sue Gammon. “We’re doing the best we can. The emergency crew is dead tired.”

Administrative Assistant Kathy Hutchins was amazed at the number of agencies that have been appearing in the town since the flood.

“You wouldn’t believe it,” she said as she listed the Red Cross, Maine State Housing, Maine Emergency Management Agency, and people from the departments of environmental protection and human services among them.

Next Tuesday’s special town meeting will consider accepting the state disaster block grant to pay for trash and debris removal resulting from the flood, a damaged town plow, extra salt and sand and emergency electrical and heating infrastructure.

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