Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton says he and city leaders are fielding questions and concerns from local businesses and analyzing how to best respond to Friday’s rainfall and subsequent flash flooding.
According to the National Weather Service, Bloomington received nearly 5 inches of rainfall, while Ellettsville and Spencer each received nearly 7.5 inches.
Despite significant flash flooding that closed traffic and forced some downtown Bloomington businesses to temporarily close, Hamilton says he has not spoken directly with Gov. Eric Holcomb about declaring a state of emergency.
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, signed into law in 1988, mandates that emergency declaration requests be made by state governors, instead of local officials.
"I’ve not spoken to the governor about it," Hamilton said. "We’re working through things with our merchants and our establishments to identify what options there are. This was short-lived and a small area that mostly got hit in Bloomington itself."
The deluge of rain—which is more than the city receives on average for the month of June—paired with older infrastructure at Sixth and Indiana streets' stormwater entry point, created the perfect storm, Hamilton said.
He insists the city will continue conversations with businesses to determine the best course of action.
Hamilton reiterated his support for a federal infrastructure plan that could enhance funding opportunities for, among other things, municipal storm water projects.
