26 municipalities apply for FEMA aid

Published 6:06 am Friday, July 18, 2008

Applications from municipalities for flood reimbursement funds total 26 in Mower County, an federal official said Thursday, about one week after preliminary meeting between the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local and county officials.

And there may be more, said FEMA spokesperson Peter Lembessis from a field office in Rochester, where about two dozen FEMA employees are preparing for kick-off meetings in affected communities soon.

Lembessis expected meetings to take place in the coming weeks, and expressed confidence in the speed of the process, particularly given the experience of many local officials with funding requests.

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“Your people over there, they know the process,” he said.

He listed townships, small towns and the city of Austin among likely grantees, adding that the geographic range of flood damage was countywide.

“What is shown is the damage is spread all over,” he said.

Mower County was hit with powerful thunderstorms July 12 that led to severe flooding in the Cedar River, Dobbins Creek and Turtle Creek. Local and state officials have called the flood event the third worst in Austin history.

Flooding in neighboring Freeborn, Houston and Fillmore counties led to a disaster declaration from Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who requested federal funding June 17.

President George Bush responded in kind June 25. Total estimated damage across all counties was $8.29 million.

Pawlenty said $1.76 million occurred in Mower County, though local and county officials are still tallying figures.

Austin city engineer Jon Erichson’s preliminary assessment was $1.17 million; Mower County engineer Mike Hanson’s was $175,000. Both said that damages spanned across all seven eligible work categories.

FEMA reimburses 75 percent of costs for debris removal, protective measures, road systems, water control facilities, public buildings and equipment, public utilities and miscellaneous expenses.

At the meeting July 8, FEMA public assistance program manager Bill Hirte said he expected money for projects less than $60,900 to arrive by the year’s end. More expensive projects may take longer, he said.

FEMA is also working in Missouri, Iowa and other nearby states following July flood events. Agency officials said its left staff spread thin, and advised a speedy approach by local officials worried about delays.