VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Gov. Eric Greitens was the intended recipient of a comment made last week criticizing the response of elected officials to historic flood damage in Carter County, according to presiding commissioner Don Black.
Black says he misspoke when including U.S. Rep. Jason Smith in a group of officials he believes disappeared after the photo ops ended in late April and early May 2017.
Smith and state Sen. Doug Libla have been the most active in trying to get Carter County help after the Current River broke century-old records and wiped out all county offices, as well as many homes and businesses, Black said Friday.
Black addressed the ongoing recovery effort, government response and questions from residents during a public meeting Wednesday in Van Buren.
Many residents are concerned county offices will not return to a downtown courthouse which sustained an estimated $1.1 million in damage.
Carter County needs help in resolving a dispute with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which would reduce that claim by 50-58 percent, Black said.
"They were all here when the flood happened. Everyone made an appearance," he said. "We're having issues getting noticed right now."
FEMA argues county offices should have carried flood insurance.
Carter County officials say the courthouse never had the insurance. They believe it was not required because of changes in floodplain designations in the 1980s. A county jail and sheriff's department, which sat closer to the Current River, were not required by another federal agency to carry flood insurance, officials also say.
"We just feel if we had them arm in arm with us, we could get some attention from the federal government," Black said Friday. "The federal government owns 66 percent of our (county). They need to be a participant in this thing. "Our citizens are paying the bill .. for the whole thing, and they just need to step up and pay their part."
Representatives of Smith's office are in contact with commissioners on a almost weekly basis, Black said.
Smith has visited the county twice and sent a representative from his office several times, according to Black.
Libla and state Rep. Steve Cookson have visited the county several times, he said.
Both U.S. Sens. Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill have written letters on behalf of the county to FEMA.
Black has invited both Blunt and McCaskill to come to Carter County and see firsthand the struggles of officials and residents.
McCaskill has not visited the county since the flood and county officials have met once with Blunt during an in event in Poplar Bluff, Black said.
"We're needing attention here because... I don't carry a very big stick. I need additional help from these guys," Black said.
Black told residents last week he will work hard to restore the courthouse, but could not promise that county offices would return to downtown Van Buren.
"At the end, we (commissioners) have a decision that has to be made for the taxpayers. We're responsible for the taxpayer dollars. We're trying to do that," said Black.
Damage to the sheriff's department and jail are estimated at between $300,000 and $530,000.
FEMA has not offered a final estimate of county damages, Black said.
Commissioners have discussed relocating the justice center to another area of the county.