The city of East Ridge announced Thursday their decision to cancel Fall Fest 2009, originally planned for Oct. 17 of this year at Camp Jordan. The city plans to focus their efforts now on helping neighbors and repairing the damage that has been done by floodwaters.
“Our main concern is helping the hundreds of individuals who have been displaced, clearing the debris and addressing both safety and health issues resulting from the flood,” says East Ridge Mayor Mike Steele. “Our citizens and City staff have done an excellent job helping each other and lending a hand in the clean-up process.
Even those who, too, have lost belongings and whose homes have suffered damage have shown great fortitude in helping neighbors.”
East Ridge citizens are encouraged to discard of any items in their homes that flood waters have reached as the sewer overflow and other possible contaminants may be in this water. Dumpsters have been placed in the hardest hit neighborhoods in East Ridge for purpose of discarding larger items impacted by flood waters. The city plans to spread lime in the near future to disinfect neighborhoods, streets and play areas.
Although the city is looking into federal fund opportunities that might be available to build a levee, it could take as long as 10-20 years for such a detailed process to be complete. In the meantime, the city has requested help from FEMA to assist in East Ridge’s immediate recovery.
The festival will be rescheduled for 2010.
For more information about the flooding in East Ridge, please call City Manager William R. Whitson at 867-7711, or visit East Ridge’s Web site at www.eastridgetn.org.