Thirty days later, some signs of progress in tornado-damaged Bourbon

BOURBON, Ind. -- The EF-1 tornado that blew through Bourbon took only a few minutes to devastate parts of the town.

For town officials however, the process of putting it all back together keeps getting prolonged.

"We're just have to build stronger, which we're doing. I would assume that it's going to take year or longer," McFarland estimated.

Bourbon Town Council President Les McFarland tells ABC57 leaders are still in the process of acquiring estimates to see how much repairs will cost.

According to McFarland, fixes to the lights at McBride Field amount to nearly $60,000.

Additionally, a new roof for the building where Bourbon houses utility equipment will cost nearly $70,000.

"That's not all the other damage that the town sustained. So, I would assume this is the damage is going to reach up into the millions in total damage," McFarland said.

McFarland states that Bourbon is starting to bounce back, all thanks to the community, and there have been some significant repairs already completed in town.

"The NIMS (Northern Indiana Manufacturing) Building is an example. They're already got their damaged building down, and already in the process of rebuilding, as many of the places downtown are," McFarland explained.

Another building on Center Street across from Lemler Oil has made progress on exterior repairs.

And now that the weather is warmer, more residents are able to get their wood debris removed and trees cut down.

"We're going to continue to move forward," McFarland added. "Love your neighbors and help each other to continue to get these projects done."