For some, flood lingers

Judy McFadden of Andover began the excavation as soon as the flood receded and her basement was no longer an indoor pool of foul water.

She held her breath -- not for the odor, but for what she might find.

Was everything lost? Could she save her prized possessions?

And there, by the grace of some benevolent power, she found them: Red Sox Christmas tree ornaments.

"I was able to dig through the sludge and salvage them," she said.

Entering the holiday season, little things are a luxury for residents like McFadden -- those left homeless by the historic flooding back in May.

McFadden and most of her 86 neighbors returned to their Balmoral Condominium homes in August, but four of the basement condo owners are among the Merrimack Valley flood victims still displaced.

The flooding was six months ago, but the people most acutely affected report costly and extensive damage, delays in insurance claims, and flood fatigue. They feel forgotten.

"You hear about what's going on in New Orleans and people don't realize there are still flood victims up here," said Paul Bettano, chairman of trustees at the Balmoral Condominium Association.

According to Andover public health director Thomas Carbone, there are still a few residents displaced from their Washington Park condos on North Main Street.

In North Andover, there are about a dozen people from four or five families who have yet to return to their homes, said Jeffrey Coco, the town's emergency management director.

"Believe it or not, we still have families out of their homes," Coco said. "You wouldn't think that at this point, but that's the unfortunate case."

After last week's rain , Coco was busy fielding calls from residents along the Shawsheen River, which has higher-than-normal levels for this time of year.

As of September, more than $70.4 million in federal disaster aid for the May 12-23 flooding was distributed to individuals and businesses in Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk counties, according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. The eligible recipients included local governments, state agencies, and private non profit organizations.

An estimated 11,000 individuals and businesses in these counties filed for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Administration. FEMA approved more than $18.2 million in grants and $39.6 million in small business loans, according to the state.

But assistance and insurance do not cover everything, a lesson that flood victims like McFadden have learned all too well. She said most of the personal belongings stored in their basement were ruined. "We don't know what insurance will cover, but obviously there is going to be a shortfall," she said. "It's just a little frustrating for all of us."

Bettano, who is still waiting on a claim, said the government bureaucracy is staggering. He also believes condominium owners get short shrift from the government because residents own the building through an association.

"It's like condo owners slip through the cracks," he said. "If this was 86 single-family homes, there would be a hell of a lot more attention and assistance."

Balmoral's board of trustees estimated the damage to be as high as $3 million.

Inspired by an outpouring of community support, McFadden and neighbors are organizing a holiday tour to raise money for the Balmoral Disaster Relief Fund. The historic building was once the headquarters for American Woolen Co., which closed in 1953.

The holiday tour of the Balmoral Condominiums is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Dec. 9, and at least 12 condominium owners have agreed to open their homes for public view. Volunteers from the Andover Historical Society will be on hand to answer questions. The suggested donation is $15.

The tour is a morale booster for residents, said McFadden, who added that the visit will be worth the trip. The main entrance opens to marble floors and a huge staircase. There are high ceilings, large windows, and a wealth of smaller architectural details.

"It's like going into a museum," she said. "When you first walk in there is a 'wow' factor."

Information about the Balmoral Disaster Relief Fund is available by calling 978-475-9773.