Westmoreland hosts town hall gathering for those impacted by tornado

WESTMORELAND (KSNT) - On Sunday, June 30, Westmoreland hosted a Town Hall Gathering for people who were impacted by the tornado.

The city of Westmoreland has established a long-term recovery group (LTRG) to aid those who were impacted by a tornado.

The gathering was a chance for the impacted to get in contact with a variety of resources. They could speak to who they needed to based on their needs.

Resources that were available included contractors, the Kansas Insurance Department, Kansas Legal Services, mental health professionals, and more.

27 News spoke to the chair of the LTRG who said that having resources available in a timely manner is key in the recovery process.

"It's timely in recovery aspects that the resources are made available," said Rev. Hollie Tapley. "We've got homes that need repairs. We need people who can do repairs. We know we have homes that need to be totally rebuilt."

27 News also spoke to a homeowner who attended the gathering who said he had been having problems with insurance.

"We're a strong community. We're going to overcome everything," said Jim Smith who lives in Westmoreland. "But it's just the sickening feeling you get that our insurance people can't do the right thing."

Smith, who has lived in Westmoreland since the 60's, said he never expected a tornado like this to hit the town. He said events like this one are great for the community.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.