Greenville will send help to New Madison

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GREENVILLE – Greenville City Council has pledged its support to help the village of New Madison. On Wednesday, council held an emergency meeting to discuss how it can help the village struck by an EF-1 tornado on Memorial Day.

Council President John Burkett noted he had talked with New Madison Mayor Monica Schlechty by phone to determine how Greenville could help. Safety Service Director Curt Garrison also discussed the issue with Duane Cook, of the New Madison Street Department. Council unanimously agreed to help.

Garrison shared with council the city will send equipment and manpower to the village to help clear limbs and debris. Equipment and manpower includes a limb loader, street sweeper, skid loader with brush head and backhoe. According to Garrison, the city will put some of its projects on hold on Monday and Tuesday and will blitz New Madison in an effort to “get it knocked out and get it done.” In addition to clearing debris, crews will also help fill holes left by trees that were uprooted.

Once the work is completed, council will need to act on legislation to forgo any cost associated with the assistance. The city has ordinances on the books that charge for services outside the city.

Garrison explained that the city’s fire department has mutual aid agreements with neighboring communities for assistance, but communities do not have mutual aid agreements for other services, which is why council needed to meet in emergency session to give its approval. The Greenville Fire Department sent two trucks to New Madison after the tornado and also assisted in Brookville and Trotwood.

DP&L is in the process of clearing downed lines, which is why the city is waiting until Monday to send the equipment and manpower.

This is not the first time Greenville has helped a neighboring community following a tornado. The city helped with Arcanum’s clean-up after their tornado in 1992.

This tree in New Madison was uprooted by a Memorial Day tornado and partially landed on a home on Jefferson Street.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_new-mad-tornado-1-web.jpgThis tree in New Madison was uprooted by a Memorial Day tornado and partially landed on a home on Jefferson Street. Ryan Berry | DarkeCountyMedia.com

By Ryan Berry

DarkeCountyMedia.com

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