Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />The Jefferson County Youth Association plans to <br />build a football field in Arnold to support their <br />program for 400 youngsters on this buyout property. <br /> <br /> <br />At the same lime. the council <br />voted for a housing assisIance grant <br />from Ihe Missouri Housing Develop- <br />ment Commission to help with <br />relocation expenses. Individual mobile <br />home owners could get up 10 $20.000 10 <br />help bridge Ihe gap beIween leaving Ihe <br />property and moving 10 higher ground.19 <br /> <br />The results of these buyout <br />efforts were impressive. By the end of <br />1995. Arnold had purchased 202 single <br />family dwellings and 155 mobile home <br />pads on Ihe floodplain. The almost <br />yearly !lood threaI to Arnold is no <br />longer there. <br /> <br />Eric Knoll feels the program <br />was such a success that he has con- <br />Iinued buying out additional properties <br /> <br />Page 18 <br /> <br />on the rivers edge. In 1998. he <br />negotiated with two homeowners for <br />their houses, and as of May 25. 1999, <br />he has closed on li ve more buyouts. As <br />of this writing. he is negotiaIing for <br />two more. <br /> <br />As for the land acquired in Ihe <br />buyOUI. negotiations are under way in <br />conjuncIion with Ihe Jetlerson County <br />Y oUIh AssociaIion 10 build on a portion <br />of it. a football lield and bleachers. The <br />Associarion has already leased the land <br />for Ien years for one dollar. and the non- <br />profit organization currently runs a <br />football program there for 400 kids. <br /> <br />Most importanIly, Arnold has <br />prospered since the flooo. Unlike some <br />communities Ihat suffered from thc <br /> <br />recurring floods. Arnold did not lose <br />population. Most of the people who <br />accepted buyOUI money stayed in <br />Arnold. The population increased from <br />18.828 in 1993 to 20,473, according to <br />the last ligures of Ihe U.S. Census <br />Bureau. The tax base has remained <br />healthy enough for Ihe town to pass a <br />tax levee to buy a 120 acre Iract near the <br />center of town for development as the <br />Strawberry Creek NaIure Area.20 <br /> <br /> <br />The NaIional Association of <br />Floodplain Managers has recognized <br />Ihe success of Arnold's use of buyout <br />program funds. In 1997. the Associa- <br />lion singled out Knoll for his <br />innovation and leadership during this <br />time and recognized him with its <br />annual award.21 <br />