Insurance bill more than doubles because of flood damage in '04

Workers have cleared 133 tons of debris from streams throughout the county.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County must pay higher insurance premiums because of flooding in 2004.
The county commissioners said Wednesday that their property and liability insurance has increased to $279,400 for 2006-07.
"That's because of the flooding," Commissioner Jim Hoppel said Wednesday.
The county racked up $532,000 in damage to its own property.
The billing cycles run from May to April.
For the 2004-05 billing period that included the flood, the county paid $129,091.
Still, the amount could have been higher.
Member of CORSA
Commissioner Chairman Sean Logan said the 2006-07 insurance bill was lowered by several thousand dollars because the county is a member of the County Risk Sharing Authority.
CORSA is a property and liability self-funding program created in 1987 by the County Commissioners Association of Ohio.
CORSA invests the payments and applies the interest income to lower each county's premiums.
Funds received
The commissioners said the good news is that the county has received $821,000 in federal funds that it has used to clear streams of debris from the flooding.
A National Emergency Grant was awarded for $491,000. Some $314,000 went to wages.
A second grant of $330,000 was recently approved.
So far, workers have removed 133 tons of debris as they cleared 59 miles of steams.
Commissioner Gary Williams said much of the debris was wood, but it also included junk that had washed into creeks.
Creeks were cleared in Beaver Creek State Park, East Palestine, Lisbon and Hanoverton, and Elkton, Elkrun and Unity townships.
Workers are still clearing portions of Beaver Creek. Work is expected to continue through June.
wilkinson@vindy.com