Doug Mulcock, whose family lost three cars, two washer and dryer sets, furnaces, water heaters and a slew of other appliances and other items in addition to the water damage to their home, said he was told last week they would be receiving a check for close to 75 percent of their losses. The payment is for losses suffered from both flooding incidents. The county's insurance carrier denied the claims from the first flood, but the Butler County commissioners asked the Butler County Prosecutor's Office to see what could be done.
Mulcock said a representative of the County Risk Sharing Authority (CORSA), the county’s insurance carrier, told him that the payment was coming from the county, not the insurance carrier. He was also informed that the estimated $8,000 in damages to the lower portion of his driveway and the retaining wall were excluded as their independent appraiser and structural engineer said those were already damaged before the flooding.
Mulcock said when the engineer came to his home, he offered to pull his car out of the driveway for a better look, but the engineer said that wouldn't be necessary.
“I’m not sure if I should be grateful or be pissed off,” Mulcock said. “They’re close and they’re not leaving me high and dry. I’m not looking to make any money on this, I just want my stuff back.”
He said the CORSA representative told him that Butler County asked the carrier to take care of processing the claim. Mulcock was also told that the county wasn’t liable for the damages and this was being done to help him out because he had suffered a significant loss. He was also told by the CORSA representative that the amount being sent was non-negotiable and that it was a first for the county to do something like this.
Since the second flood in Feb. 24, the Butler County Water and Sewer Department has installed about 2,500 feet of pipe as part of an estimated $200,000 project for a new water main along Yankee Road and on Kyles Station Road across the road from Mulcock's house. However, Mulcock said the new water service lines to the homes have not been put in yet.
Bob Leventry, director of the Butler County Water and Sewer Department, said in an email that “CORSA and the County are reimbursing the two property owners for losses including cleanup, restoration, personal property, structure repairs, other repairs, and other losses based on an appraisal prepared by an independent appraiser. This this process is nearing conclusion.”
Leventry said the new water main has been installed and has been pressure tested. He said the next steps are to make sure its been disinfected and to test water samples before it goes online. He said over the next two weeks, new service lines to each of the affected residences will be installed between the new water main and the meter pits of each property. Leventry expects that work to be completed and the new water main activated by April 8. The old main will be abandoned.
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