SUNBRIGHT, Tenn. — Many residents of Sunbright said they felt let down by the state after an EF-1 tornado ripped through their town on April 2.
The small community will not be receiving any state or federal funding after not reaching the minimum threshold needed for relief, and some residents are vocal about their opinions.
"I understand there's a process here with thresholds. It's terrible to see that and hear that news, especially in such a small, tight-knit community. But also understand that our local leaders and state and federal government have rules in place for reasons. So I'm understanding but it is heartbreaking," said the Director of Morgan County Emergency Management, Ethan Webb.
Webb said to be eligible for funding the county needed to show damage of at least $96,761, which must happen in combination with the state threshold of $12,715,945.60 in order to get financial aid after a destructive storm.
"You have to meet your county number, and then you have to meet your state number," Webb said.
This means that across the state of Tennessee, there would have to be a total of just over $12 million in damage, while Morgan County must sustain a minimum of $96,761 as well.
Some community members question how the thresholds can be met by a small rural community.
"For a rural community like Sunbright, and most of this area, large farms with older structures. We'll never meet that criteria. So that's frustrating, and I'm not even sure I can understand that it's right," said Wayne Miller, a local farmer.
"I hope that state leadership can look at this and come to Sunbright and look around," said Miller. "If they're comfortable looking at what downtown Sunbright looks like and say, 'Yeah, we're not going to take care of that,' so be it. We can answer that at the voting booth."
Despite this frustrating setback, Webb said he is very proud of the community and their ability to be there for one another through such a difficult time. However, with the lack of funding, many residents are on their own to rebuild from the damage.
"Anyone who, who does not have insurance — they're gonna have to struggle out of their pocket to rebuild and fix their belongings," Web said. "Hopefully, though, those that do have insurance will have to be able to rely on their insurance companies to help them get back on their feet."
Webb also said there are a variety of outreach options for those who are struggling. He said that anyone who needs help can contact his office and they will gather any resources they can.
"It was truly devastating to see the impact that the storm made to this small town right in the center of the city," Webb said.
He also said that if anyone would like to donate they could reach out to his office, but the biggest resource is for the residents to reach out to their own insurance companies for aid in the rebuilding process.
"The community's lost a lot. But everyone seems to be in good spirits, and very happy with the volunteer effort," said Webb. "We learned fairly quickly that we just weren't at that $12 million mark. It's heartbreaking to tell our citizens that. That's the purpose at the moment, is to help them understand that and give them different avenues that they can go."