GOSHEN TOWNSHIP, Ohio — A year after an EF-2 tornado tore through Goshen Township, the Clermont County community is still working to recover.
The storm injured three and damaged 298 buildings, including Fire Station 18. In the year since, the station has been demolished as town administration plans for a rebuild, though the project has faced significant delays.
According to Bob Rose, the township administrator, much of the delay comes down to cost. Fire Station builds are multimillion-dollar projects, and the township isn’t recovering as much in insurance as they had hoped.
“It is not an obvious ‘total loss’ nor is it an obvious salvage as there is far more damage than just the third that collapsed,” he said in a statement. “Many are familiar with situations or have firsthand experience of insurance claims where property owners contest or question the appraisal. That is essentially the position we find ourselves in.”
Rose said Goshen Township has been applying for grants and seeking other avenues of funding to try to get a rebuild underway. In working with local representatives, a draft proposal for the state budget had $2.5 million earmarked for the project. The funding was cut however before the final budget was passed.
“The situation is fluid, has many variables, and is subject to constant change,” Rose said. “We are optimistic that our lawmakers and governor will come through for us when the time comes.”
To continue providing services as the recovery continues, emergency personnel and equipment have moved to a service garage several blocks north of Station 18.
