Families demolish flood-damaged homes as financial assistance slowly trickles in

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Families demolish flood-damaged homes as financial assistance slowly

trickles in

Nashua Telegraph - Nashua,NH

By PATRICK MEIGHAN, Telegraph Staff

pmeighan@...

Published: Saturday, Aug. 12, 2006

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20060812/NEWS01/108120096/-1/BUSINESS

Dave Guerrette sipped from a silver coffee mug as the metallic fist

of a giant excavator delivered its first punch into the roof of the

ruined Merrimack home he had built 43 years ago.

" There it goes, " Guerrette, 67, said softly, as the roof shattered

into splinters.

Neighbors, volunteer workers and reporters and photographers

gathered at 56 Island Drive on Friday morning as the house was

demolished, the victim not so much of the Mother's Day flood that

inundated this small peninsula, but of mold that the soaking had

brought.

Guerrette's wife, Kathleen, wasn't there. He said she didn't care to

witness the destruction of the house in which they raised their two

children, Stacey and who are now young adults.

" Neither one of us wanted to see it go, " Dave Guerrette said. " But

what could you do? "

Friday was a tough day on Island Drive, the latest in a string of

tough days since heavy rains swelled Horseshoe Pond, causing the May

14 flood. Waters in the small oxbow pond adjacent to the Merrimack

River rose faster and higher than longtime residents like Guerrette

had ever seen, cresting at 28 feet above the normal water level.

Three months later, some residents on what's called " the island " are

still struggling to get back on their feet. Some have gutted the

interiors of their homes and replaced – or are still replacing –

floors, ceilings and interior walls.

Many are still fighting insurance companies over claims.

After the flood, the town raised thousands of dollars through

contributions, and the flood drive is continuing. But as time

passes, the Guerrettes and other flood victims have seeped out of

residents' minds, and that worries Dave McCray, the selectmen

chairman who has been pushing the fundraising campaign.

" Knocking down a house should wake people up, " McCray said.

A couple of doors away, as the excavator continued to pulverize the

Guerrettes' house, Bill and Margaret O'Neill were preparing to

continue the work of laying down a new floor in their 60 Island

Drive home. The couple still is in the middle of a battle over their

flood insurance claim.

A month ago, the O'Neills described life in the home as resembling

camping more than living. Much work has been done since then, as the

O'Neills have filled Dumpsters with soggy wood and insulation, and

scrubbed down walls with bleach to kill mold.

But there is still much to do. Bill O'Neill talked of his plans to

push back an exterior wall 8 feet to encompass what's now an

enclosed porch.

The O'Neills have been OK'd to receive up to $2,000 from a state

telethon for a new furnace. But they have been having trouble

getting a contractor to come in and provide an estimate of what it

would cost to replace the heating ducts, Margaret O'Neill said.

For now, a small air conditioner keeps the home cool, but Margaret

O'Neill worries that the furnace and heating ducts won't be in place

before the weather turns cold.

At 68 Island Drive, Harvey Relihan and Terry Papagni live in a

camper they bought in June.

" It saved us $120 a day in hotel fees, " Relihan said.

Their home, one of the hardest hit, is gone, demolished down to the

foundation during a weekend's work in June. The couple plans to

rebuild a home with 2½ stories – " we'll put Noah's ark up there, "

Relihan said.

It's a quirk of flood insurance that the federal program is

administered through various companies. Relihan and Papagni were

more fortunate than other Island Drive residents. Their claims

adjuster drove to the home from Michigan four days after the flood,

and the couple has already received their settlement.

They hope to have their house rebuilt and ready to move into by the

middle or end of October, which hopefully will be " before the snow

flies, " Relihan said.

When it comes to insurance carriers, Dave Guerrette wasn't so lucky,

said friend and neighbor Baird.

The claims adjuster told Guerrette not to do anything until he could

inspect the damage, Baird said. By the time that happened, mold had

taken hold – and Guerrette said he still hasn't received a

settlement.

Residents praise the work the town has done in helping flood victims

on the island, as well as utility companies like the Merrimack

Village District and Public Service Co. of New Hampshire for quickly

restoring water and electric service to homes.

Workers from Windsor Industries Corp. and Lavoie Landscaping and

Excavating Co. donated their time and equipment to demolish the

Guerrettes' home.

Guerrette said he plans to rebuild farther up his lot, away from the

pond. While he has started the process of getting the necessary town

permits, Guerrette said he doesn't know when construction can begin.

" It's a long process – hurry up and wait, " he said.

Before the demolition began, Guerrette walked through his house.

It was the first built on the island, and began as a 32- by 38-foot

summer cottage in 1964 that was expanded and renovated over time.

He's still paying off the latest remodeling project, he said.

Moments before his house was torn to the ground, its walls, ceilings

and floors broken into scrap wood that filled Dumpsters to be carted

away, Guerrette collected his thoughts.

" It's going to be tough to see 43 years of your life gone, and

starting over at this age isn't easy, " he said.

" It's nice living on the water. Good fishing. I brought up my family

here, my daughter and my son. It was a nice place. "

Meighan can be reached at 594-6518 or

pmeighan@....