Marion County Mayor John GrahamSOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. – As this city continues to recover from catastrophic flash flooding on July 10, the threat of a similar event looms with every heavy rainfall.
Marion County Mayor John Graham announced this week that a $410,000 grant from the National Conservation Resource Service was available to “help restore and stabilize six particular areas in the South Pittsburg region that were affected greatly by the flood.”
It’s one of the few grants officials have been able to find to help in the prevention of another disaster, Graham said, but it requires the city to put up 25 percent of the money, or about $102,000.
City officials already have learned they’ll qualify for a $300,000 grant from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency.
“THDA has done its assessment and has indicated to the city that the amount of other assistance and in-kind support to recover satisfies the matching funds requirement for the Rebuild & Recover grant,” said Patricia Smith, director of public affairs for that agency. “We’re confident the city qualifies for our assistance.”