Pogue Thankful For Emergency Management Shelter

GOODMAN COMMUNITY REBOUNDING FROM TORNADO

Sally Carroll McDonald County Press City Clerk Karla McNorton swears in, from left, Tax Collector Meghan Sexson, Alderman Alice Kezar, Alderman Ron Johnson and Mayor Greg Richmond.

Sally Carroll McDonald County Press City Clerk Karla McNorton swears in, from left, Tax Collector Meghan Sexson, Alderman Alice Kezar, Alderman Ron Johnson and Mayor Greg Richmond.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Sandra Pogue and her three children came to the Goodman City Council meeting Tuesday night to thank the city's Emergency Management crew for saving their lives.

Pogue, who spoke during the citizens' business portion of the meeting, became choked up with emotion and had to pause before finishing her remarks. She thanked the city's Emergency Management team for letting her family take shelter at their office. "It means the world to me," she said.

One of Pogue's daughters, who shows a great deal of interest in meteorology, had been intently watching the weather that Tuesday afternoon, April 4. Her daughter called Pogue at work, telling her that the weather conditions were deteriorating rapidly. Pogue came home around 6:20 p.m., took the children across the street to the Goodman Emergency Management office, where city Emergency Management Director Denis Kolb took them right in. "He got us to safety," Pogue said. "(Before we went in) the clouds were turning green and the clouds were swirling."

Kolb shuttled the family to safety. His wife came in, too.

"We said a prayer and then everything hit," Pogue said.

After the tornado passed through, the winds were still very strong. A metal roof was under Kolb's car in the driveway, Pogue said. Kolb pressed against the building's door to keep it closed. The outside of the door was just pelted with debris.

Pogue's house suffered some damage, but she is simply amazed that no one was killed or seriously injured during the EF-2 tornado.

She is appreciative of the Emergency Management team's efforts to help the Goodman community and her family. "I can't thank them enough," she said.

Mayor Greg Richmond and several others thanked city staff, citizens, volunteers and all who have come together to clean up and help their fellow neighbors.

"We did the best we could," Richmond said, adding that the clean-up effort has been tremendous and much has been accomplished in the two weeks since the tornado hit.

A number of volunteers worked on the ball fields during a work-day event on Saturday, April 8. A lot of repairs were made, and the lights are now working at the small ball field, Richmond said.

He added that a caller had left a message on the answering machine at City Hall, saying how proud he was of all the volunteers working together and what had been achieved so far. The caller said he was happy to see that the kids will be able to play ball this season.

In related business, the board voted to have Neosho Box chip up a large remaining pile of wood debris from the tornado clean-up efforts. They also approved Jimmy Riggs to collect and haul off metal. The board also will look into options for having county trucks or a company offer clean up of debris that remains.

Richmond said the city has filled seven large trash bins so far. Though the extra clean-up expenses resulting from the tornado weren't budgeted for, Richmond said the city has to take care of business. "You've got to do what you've got to do," he said.

Irwin and Sandy Johnson, who traveled to Goodman on April 4 to attend the City Council meeting that never started because the tornado hit, were on hand again Tuesday night. Since the meeting didn't occur the night of the tornado, the couple attended Tuesday night to ask the City Council about putting a double-wide trailer on property on Garner Street. The council approved the measure.

During the meeting, City Clerk Karla McNorton swore in re-elected Tax Collector Meghan Sexson, Alderman Alice Kezar and Mayor Greg Richmond, along with newly elected Alderman Ron Johnson.

The board also voted to re-appoint Duane Cooper as city attorney, Curt Drake as police chief and McNorton as city clerk.

Alderman Calvin Wilson was re-appointed as president; Kezar and Richmond were re-appointed as check signers with the addition of Wilson.

In other matters, Kezar was appointed a Recreation Board Commissioner, Alderman Keith Kohley was appointed Street Commissioner, Wilson was appointed Water/Sewer Commissioner, and Johnson, Maintenance Commissioner.

The board also approved compensation for four city staff members in overtime accrued since the tornado hit. Two staff members will receive overtime pay; the other two chose comp time.

General News on 04/20/2017