The Columbus Police Department is donating one of its older vehicles to a community in eastern Kentucky that was severely impacted by recent flooding.
The Columbus Board of Works has approved the Columbus Police Department’s request to transfer a 2016 Ford Taurus to a sheriff’s department in Perry County, Kentucky.
Columbus Police Chief Michael Richardson said that the Perry County Sheriff’s Department had lost one of its cars during the floods.
“We have a car that we were getting rid of anyway,” he said. “… We talked to the sheriff down there. He said even in good times, they have trouble affording vehicles. Obviously, it’s a poor area. So we would like to help them out with one of our older cars that’ll at least hopefully get them through for a year, until they’re able to get back on their feet.”
As of mid-August, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear shared on social media that the official death toll from eastern Kentucky flooding was 39. Perry County was described “among the hardest hit communities,” in the region from the flooding.
“In Perry County, 83 percent of the roughly 4,000 students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and more than 470 students are considered homeless, with school staff members often providing food, dental and medical checkups and clothing on top of daily classes,” according to news reports.
In addition to damage to homes, the July flash flooding heavily damaged two Perry County schools, Buckhorn School and Robinson Elementary, causing their students to relocate to an older building, A.B. Combs Elementary School. Classes began on Tuesday.
