LEE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lee County is currently experiencing several inches of snow, complicating efforts to recover from flooding that occurred this past weekend. Locals are struggling to clean up as they contend with another round of winter weather.
Robbie McKinney, service manager at the Kentucky Farm Bureau's Lee County Office, experienced the impact of last weekend’s flooding firsthand.
His journey on Monday reminded him of the flooding that occurred in 2021, as he took a kayak to work.
“So the first time we went in, we really didn't walk in, we floated in,” McKinney recalled.
"I told my wife, this is a 100-year flood. So, the next time this happens, it'll be somebody else. And then here we are 4 years later, with another 100-year flood," he added, reflecting on the unusual recurrence of such devastating weather.
McKinney noted that his office was submerged under six to eight inches of water.
“After the water completely went down, and my wife and I came into the office. We both stood with our arms around each other, and we both cried. Then we got to work. We started heading toward restoration and getting better,” he said.
Contractors were scheduled to help gut the interior of his office, removing rotted drywall and cleaning the floors, but he said the roads were too slick to allow them entry into town.
“It just makes everything harder. You know, but it's a part of life,” McKinney said.
Tyler Phillips, a local volunteer firefighter also shared insight on the conditions.
“It very much looks like it's a nice fluffy snow, fun to go play in. But I can assure you in some areas there is some very hard-packed ice under that. Just from the water and the cold temperatures we've had the last few days,” Phillips said.
Both men agreed that the winter weather is hindering the flood recovery process. However, they expressed confidence in their community’s resilience.
“So, I always heard it's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how many times you get back up. We just try to keep trying to get up one more time. We just keep trying. Whatever blows life has dealt us, and the river has dealt us, we just try to keep getting back up every time we get knocked down,” McKinney concluded.
As Lee County continues to navigate these challenges, residents are determined to overcome yet another setback in their recovery efforts.
