State Senator McKee Tours HSV Tornado-Damaged Neighborhood

General Manager Kelly Hale has forged and repaired relationships with outside entities for two years. Having rebuilt fragile relationships, he received a massive response to the initial post-tornado effort but continues to seek help from many levels of our governmental agencies.

“For our community to have elected officials who have been with me and the team every step of the way was important for where we have positioned ourselves for assistance,” stated the General Manager.

Hale said, ” As part of our plans for state support, we invited our state representatives and senators to see firsthand the tornado’s impact on our community. I explained to them that pictures would not do justice to this tornado’s true blow on the Village. I am pleased and thankful to have such helpful and concerned elected officials. Matt McKee is a true friend of the Village, as are Richard McGrew, Les Warren, and Lanny Fife.”

Late morning, Friday, April 5, 2024, Hale provided a tour of one of the March tornado-ravaged neighborhoods in the Village. Arkansas State Senator Matt McKee, Former Arkansas Legislative Representative and Villager Roger Smith, and Villager and Justice of the Peace, District 13, Saline County Quorum Court Keith Keck, visited the Mano Way and Bargus Way (This should probably say Burgos) neighborhoods. Two vehicles transported the tour party, with Associate Public Services Director Matt Broom leading the entourage and driving Kelly Hale. Superintendent of Streets and Sanitation Todd Noles chauffeured the dignitaries.

In 2024, the Arkansas State Legislature is scheduled to convene on April 10, making it important that Senator McKee view the damages before the session convenes.

As we drove the village roads, seeing the immense damage to the woods and homes was sad. While the HSV Twister of 2024 didn’t take any human life, it left a deep wound in large patches of Hot Springs Village. Recovery efforts are underway, but there is still a long way to go.

J.P. Keck stated, “The magnitude of cleanup facing HSV will take significant time and funding to restore the impacted neighborhoods. Just as important, it will take a concentrated effort from all elected officials representing HSV to secure cleanup/recovery funding from outside governmental agencies.” 

Former Arkansas Representative Smith said, “My concern is the timeframe. The longer we have delays, the worse this gets, and it becomes a tinderbox. Expediency is really, really critical here. If you had a fire in this subdivision today, you’d lose every house.” Harvesting as many downed trees as possible reduces the possibility of a fire.

Hale will also meet with U. S. Congressman French Hill next week and provide him with a packet of information and photos documenting the disaster for potential help from a federal level.

J.P. Keck shared the process for past disaster funding

“1) POA estimated actual damage and damage cleanup/recovery costs. 

“2) Damage estimates were provided to respective County Judges to support their Emergency Declarations.

“3) Damage estimates were then forwarded to the Arkansas Dept of Emergency for their review and determination of potential state funding for cleanup/recovery. 

Staff takes a blended approach

Hale said their approach to tornado recovery efforts is blended. While the POA must keep normal operations running smoothly, they must also concentrate on recovery efforts. At the same time, staff continues to forge ahead on remedying years of deferred infrastructure. “I am not coming off the deferral. The tornado is just a distraction. We can’t abandon ship on what we have been doing. If we just stay the course and keep the cost down…” stressed Hale.

“My folks have been working seven days a week because they are performing their regular tasks, catching up with two decades of deferral, and handling the recovery process,” explained Hale.

A volunteer has been appointed as project manager for the tornado recovery effort.  This is being implemented to allow Public Services Director Ken Unger and Associate Public Services Director Matt Broom to continue their progress in addressing deferred infrastructure and handling their myriad of other day-to-day operational tasks.

Featured image: (l to r) Associate Director of Public Services Matt Broom; Arkansas Senator Matt McKee; General Manager Kelly Hale; Justice of the Peace, District 13, Saline County Quorum Court Keith Keck; Former Arkansas Legislative Representative Roger Smith (Rear) Superintendent Roads & Sanitation Todd Noles

By Cheryl Dowden