Damages from August flooding are currently estimated to be around $400,000, City Manager Joseph Scherer told council at its work session this evening.

They could reach as high as $500,000.

To aid in the recovery, Scherer said the city should receive $235,000 from the state, although that is reimbursement funding for last year’s tornado and Hurricane Irene cleanup.

The city will use those funds to start repairs and Scherer will ask council to approve a $300,000 appropriation while it waits for reimbursement for the costs of the flooding cleanup. The city expects to be reimbursed about 75 percent.

Scherer told council it is expected to cost $80,000 to deal with damage to the parks and recreation facilities. There will be no state money for that, but the city manager said he would ask council to take $80,000 from the theater operational cost budget to handle those repairs.

Asked by Councilman Greg Lawson when the city could expect the flooding reimbursement money, Scherer said he expected it sooner than the tornado and hurricane money. “We’re going to submit for reimbursement on an ongoing basis.”

Public Works Director Larry Chalker said the city found six washouts in the wake of the August 25 flooding. “There were collapses of various sizes.”

One of those is at Fourth and Marshall streets, Chalker said. “Another two to three rains and it could collapse.”

There were nine total sinkholes in streets, three sinkholes on rights of way and five cases of erosion, including the back of the Rochelle Dam. Chalker said there are 30 cases of erosion in alleys.

Meanwhile, public works crews have removed 150 tons of debris from residences that were flooded. He fully expects that number to hit 200,000 tons. Tipping fees are at $9,000 and Chalker said there has been 376 hours devoted to removing storm debris. “It seems overwhelming.”

One of the topics of concern during discussion of storm issues came from Councilman Carl Ferebee, who inquired about grant funds for preventive measures.

Scherer said that is one of the things he is looking at, but said the city would most likely have to have a natural hazard mitigation plan in place to qualify.

As discussion of the flooding continued, Chalker said one of the issues the city faces is a large number of calls for the city to do work on ditches for which it has no easement or right of way. “I think we have to be regimented in how we deal with that situation.”

Scherer said the policy has to be, “Unless we have a real easement, we don’t do the work. It opens us up to liability.”

Said Chalker: “We have to look at each individual case.”

Parks and Recreation Director John Simeon said $55,000 in damage was done to Chaloner Recreation Center. That included electrical and heating and air. “Two feet of water flooded it. We’ve cleaned it up. It’s an empty shell right now.”

It will cost about $8,000 for sand and crush and run at the walking trails. Sand is required under handicapped accessibility regulations, he said.

It appears, however, insurance will cover damage done to the Kirkwood Adams and Hodgestown Day Care roofs, he said.

Mayor Emery Doughtie said by taking the $235,000 from the state and the $300,000 from city coffers, which was not voted on this evening, the city would “still come out a little ahead” than it would if it waited for the flooding reimbursement.

“We should not have a negative,” Scherer said.