Bannock County veterans building flooded; volunteers, insurers and historic rules complicate repairs

Teresa Villopano, president of the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Association, told the Bannock County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 16 that an upstairs toilet overflowed while the building was unattended and soaked through the floors, causing water to run down and damage the room below.

“We had a flooding upstairs in the women's restroom. The toilet … overflowed and it kept overflowing,” Villopano said, adding that SERVPRO and Roto-Rooter began mitigation and that contractors later found substantial damage to the wood under the second level and signs of moisture throughout the foundation and walls.

The association said SERVPRO performed drying work and a lead test returned “a high volume of lead in the paint,” while an asbestos test was negative. Villopano said two repair bids were returned, one about $100,000 and another about $200,000 when hardwood-floor replacement was included. She said Elite Restoration declined to bid after learning the insurer denied the claim.

The association asked the county to be aware of the damage and to stay in contact while it pursues repair funding. “We do have our 501(c)(3), which will help us,” Villopano said, noting the organization is waiting for the IRS listing to update on the public website so that larger grants can be pursued. She said the association has used ARPA funds for prior repairs but that the repair need now exceeds its capacity.

Commissioners responded that they were sympathetic but that county options were limited without clearer cost estimates and confirmation of funding sources. A commissioner suggested bringing the historical society and the association together to discuss priorities and funding, and several commissioners asked to be kept updated as bids, insurance responses and grant possibilities develop.

Villopano said the local Farm Bureau insurance adjuster inspected the site briefly and issued a denial, citing exclusions for sewage or sump-related losses. The association disputes that the overflow was sewage and said the water was clear when it overflowed. She said the brief inspection and quick denial left the group without coverage.

Contractors the association solicited told them that once intrusive remediation and lead abatement begin the building may have to be closed for about two-and-a-half months; association leaders said that would force cancellation and refunds for about 150 community events that use the building.

The county did not commit funds at the meeting but asked the association to bring back documentation, bids and any formal grant or insurance updates. Commissioners asked staff to assist with contacts and to track whether historic-preservation rules will require matching materials that increase costs.

The county and association also discussed next steps for cleanup and public safety: SERVPRO remains on site performing drying and monitoring, and the association has sealed affected rooms pending full remediation.

The association left photos and test results with county staff for review and said it would return with any further information about the Farm Bureau denial, contractor bids and possible grant awards.