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Last updated on Monday, September 1, 2008
(FRANKLIN) - Many local officials are betting that Johnson County won’t suffer another devastating flood like the one in June, as many communities aren’t planning to expand insurance coverage for properties in floodplains.
For years, some local governments opted not to buy flood insurance because of the extra cost and the slim chance that a major flood would occur. Now, taxpayer-funded savings accounts are being drained to repair government buildings while cities and towns wait for 75 percent reimbursement from the federal government.
No public buildings in Franklin were covered by flood insurance, while some buildings in Edinburgh, Greenwood and the county did have flood policies.
Buying flood insurance for taxpayer-owned buildings is the responsible thing to do, said one official in Edinburgh, which also sustained major damage from a tornado just days before the flood.
If damage from the tornado and flooding hadn't been so severe, uninsured local governments would be forced to pay for repairs themselves, without help from the federal emergency management agency.
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