VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Carter County Sheriff Rick Stephens was a little teary eyed as he recently watched crews demolish the house, which once was used as the department's patrol/administrative building.
The ranch-style house, which had been converted into departmental office space, was washed off its foundation and spun around 180 degrees after historic flooding in late April inundated downtown Van Buren.
Many homes and businesses, as well as the county's courthouse, sheriff's department and jail, were flooded when Current River crested at 37.2 feet on Sunday, April 30.
The flood waters reached into the attics of both the sheriff's department administrative building and jail before the river crested.
Since that time, the county has been renting a building at 101 Highway W and using multiple trailers to house county offices and its sheriff's department.
On Tuesday, Stephens said, officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were in town for a countywide site visit, which included the courthouse and sheriff's department.
"What they are doing, they are doing a formal assessment, which includes measuring everything and doing the formal damage assessment," Stephens explained. "(Tuesday), we did the courthouse, my sheriff's office and the jail.
"What will happen (next), their report will be done quickly. Then, it will become an actual process where we can begin soliciting architects and engineers."
Stephens said it appears the county will be eligible for some programs, some of which "we will be able to initially get the money, and some will be reimbursement."
County officials, he said, are very thankful both the state and federal governments are "making us a priority due to the devastation to county government.
"We're thankful that we weren't hit as bad as some (and) are looking forward to moving forward and showing our citizens we are going to get this back to normal."
The sheriff's department was among those most devastated by the flood.
Stephens said the house/office building was "totally demolished" within the last two weeks.
Part of the reason it was, "we had gotten the OK from FEMA, and we wanted to make Van Buren more sightly for the tourists that come in to show them we are moving forward with our recovery," said Stephens, who admitted there was "little tear in my eye" when it came down.
The cinder-block jail, he said, also will be demolished sometime in the next 30 days or so.
Demolition, he said, is necessary because the building has "multiple cracks along the exterior walls, all along the building."
While Stephens expressed pride in his former facilities, "we'll rebuild and make something we're proud of again."
When it comes time to rebuild, Stephens said, it will be in a different location.
"We're not looking to build back (there)," Stephens said. "Everything I've heard from the commission is we do not have any intentions of rebuilding on that piece of land."
Stephens said he, as well as the commissioners, feel they need to "do the best with the citizens' money since it is tax money and be the most frugal with their money."
Building again in an area that could flood "is not a good use of their money," Stephen said.
There has been some discussion with the commission regarding the construction of a justice center in the future, but "no decision has been made."
Until that time, Stephens said, he, his deputies and his staff will continue to call their temporary location home.
"It's going well," he said. "Of course, just like, all county government, it is cramped, but we have a roof over our heads, and we're grateful for that," Stephens explained. "We're happy that we are centrally located where all the citizens can still find us easily."
Stephens said he and his staff definitely have had to make some adjustments in their procedures, especially regarding inmate intake and the scheduling for transporting prisoners to the Butler County jail.
"We've gotten a lot of help from the (Missouri State) Highway Patrol in moving people for us, especially their arrests," said Stephens, who also expressed appreciation to "our neighbors at the Butler County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Mark Dobbs for their assistance in housing our jail population."
The need to transport prisoners, according to Stephens, has been very difficult, but "my staff have done very well. We've been able to maintain a full number of employees, which has helped" make it easier.
Stephens said he, along with other Carter County officeholders, are "extremely appreciative of the county governments through Missouri who have assisted us with office equipment and supplies to help us through our recovery. That's a big deal."
Sheriff's departments, in such counties as Cape Girardeau, Ste. Genevieve, Texas and Ozark, have sent items including handcuffs, light bars, office equipment and filing cabinets, which are "all things you don't think about, but are necessary," he said. "It helped us make a seamless transition to be able to serve our citizens."
Stephens believes his office will remain in its current location even after the other county offices return to the courthouse unless the commissioners decide to move the trailers elsewhere.