Program provides small businesses an opportunity for additional funding to continue restoration efforts.

Many local non-profits and public entities have become familiar with the National Emergency Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The grant supports eastern Iowa’s Emergency Public Jobs program, and now fund support has been expanded to include financial opportunities for area small businesses. Kirkwood Community College has been notified that the U.S. Department of Labor has approved the Small Business Disaster Recovery Grant program, which is now able to provide up to $5,000 in financial assistance to small businesses impacted by the flood.

Businesses interested in applying for assistance will need to demonstrate being in business with 25 or fewer employees at the time of the flood, along with experiencing an interruption in business that caused at least one worker to become dislocated (unemployed). If the business can meet these requirements they will be asked to complete a two-page application process.

In this application, business owners will be asked to share what flood recovery assistance they have already received and how these funds have been allocated or expended. Any necessary continued renovations or expenses up to $5,000 can be considered for the grant. These funds will be allocated on the basis of verifiable non-covered business loss.

Interest in this grant should be popular, according to Gary Vogt, the local supervisor of the Small Business Recovery Grant program. Vogt will coordinate the application process under the administrative entity for the grant, Kirkwood Community College, working in partnership with Iowa Workforce Development.

“The Small Business Recovery Grant is an added way to help small businesses recover. Many small businesses have or are having to put a lot of personal assets into getting businesses up and running. Hopefully an additional $5,000 can help with re-establishing the business so business owners can begin to focus more on future development,” Vogt observed.
The federal-funded grant has $1.7 million dollars to distribute to qualifying disaster stricken small businesses state wide. The Small Business Disaster Recovery Grant provides opportunities for all types of small businesses including, profit, non-profit and public agencies. It is important to note that the grant specifies “verifiable non-covered flood related business loss,” which means that in the application process business that have received FEMA, SBA, Jumpstart or any additional flood related funding will need to be prepared to show how these funds have been allocated prior to applying for the grant.

“Kirkwood is pleased to bring this opportunity to the community,” said Kirkwood Executive Director of Continuing Education Programming, Kim Johnson. “We hope that small businesses that have non-covered restoration or recovery expenses will call us to find out more about the program. It is imperative that small business owners act with some urgency as only 354 of these grants are available statewide and it is entirely possible that the Cedar Rapids community needs alone could exceed that number.”
Vogt also expects demand and interest in the program to be brisk. “In the economy today many small business owners’ budgets have been stretched to unprecedented levels, and in some cases $5,000 could be the injection a business needs to help them return,” he added.

Additional information and application procedures are available on the Web at: http://www.kirkwood.edu/skillstoemployment under the Employment Services tab or by calling Gary Vogt, (319) 398-5070, ext 110.

IOWA CITY - St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Iowa City tells TV9 that between now and August, some 500 volunteers from across the country will come to help flood victims.

This week, a group of Ohio State students are in Iowa City helping homeowners clean up yards and haul away trash.

If you need help, you can call St. Andrews at (319) 338-7523.

The Iowa River reached its crest in Iowa City on Sunday, June 15, 2008. Hancher Auditorium is in the lower right corner. (Perry Walton/P&N Flight)

IOWA CITY - The city of Iowa City is sending a warning to flooded-out homeowners who refuse to be bought out.

This as the city outlines how it is going to prevent another flood.

A discussion is underway right now at City Council to review specific proposals for five different types of flood recovery funds.

Not everyone likes the city’s ideas to buy homes, rip down condos, and create more green space.

While Iowa City urges homeowners living next to the Iowa River to sell their home to the city, Larry Omann isn’t taking the bait.

“I’ve lived here for 40 years,” explained Omann. ” I love the river. I

“We want them to understand that if we are able to get money for flood walls or levies they could end up on the wrong side of those,” said Jeff Davidson, Director of Planning.

Meaning that if Omann’s home floods again, he’s on his own to rebuild it.

The city would like to buy to nearly five dozen homes to eliminate risks for future flooding.

They’d also like to purchase Idyllwild condominium buildings.

“We would take it down and put it back to open space,” explained Davidson.

Idyllwild management tells T-V nine there are too many “ifs” in the city’s plan.

They’d prefer the city place large valves in the bottom of these ponds to help drain excess water.

But the city thinks more green space means less homeowners hurt by another flood.

“We think Mother Nature is telling us the appropriate use of that is as open space and we’re listening to her,” said Davidson.

That’s why the city might also buy this piece of property owned by the Parkview Church, something Pastor Scott Sterner says is open for discussion.

“We’re not out to make money on something like this,” said Sterner. “We’re open to negotiating something that is fair. “

Omann says “everybody has their price” before they’ll sell their property to the city.

And his is higher than the city wants to give.

City Council members will review all of the flood prevention projects tonight and give recommendations on which they’d like to pursue.

Then the city will start trying to secure money.

Piyush Patel makes his way through floodwaters while moving out of his home on Idyllwild Court, Thursday, June 12, 2008, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/The Iowa City Press-Citizen, Matthew Holst)

CEDAR RAPIDS - The state DNR is urging Iowa homeowners to assess their risk for flooding this month, and sign up for flood insurance, even in low-risk areas.

An engineer with the flood plain management program says there is a 30-day waiting period before policies take effect, so it’s important to act now.

Most homeowner insurance policies do not cover flooding.

To read the full release, click here.

Check the DNR’s Web site at http://www.iowadnr.gov/water/floodplain/index.html for a fact sheet that can help “Take the Gamble out of Flooding.”

Check the following Web sites to learn more about your risk of flooding and average premium costs:
http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/
http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov/
http://www.weather.gov/floodsafety/resources/FloodsTheAwesomePower_NSC.pdf

CEDAR RAPIDS - A FEMA decision has narrowed the choices for the Cedar Rapids library and the city.

But one lingering question from June’s Flood has an answer: the library will have to start from scratch.

The outside of the Cedar Rapids Public Library looks much like it has for the past 25 years.

But the inside is barren, void of the 167,000 books, movies and computers that once filled the facility.

“It is so badly damaged that even though we love it, and we have a great deal of respect for it, but that building is no longer going to be usable,” said Tamara Glise with the Cedar Rapids Library.

The flood in June wiped out everything on the first floor, FEMA decided the building is 58.1% damaged. Bad enough to allow the library to build a brand new facility and still use federal dollars.

Library patron Brad Mullin said, “I think it’s a good opportunity for the library to expand new horizons and maybe build a new facility down by the river.”

But “down by the river” might be too close for comfort. The library could start over on the current land, but since it sits in a floodplain, it would have to be built up, and out of a future flood’s way.

So deciding where a new facility would go is uncertain.

“We are trying to get more input from people about what they want to see in a library because the community loves the library and we want them to have what they want and need,” said Glise.

The library has opened a temporary location in Westdale Mall, and at least one visitor favors making it the main location.

“I would just as soon as it stay in this very spot because parking and access is convenient,” said Atkins resident Eldon Stueck.

That’s not likely, since the only hint about where the new library will go is that it will be centrally located, but not in a floodplain.

The library is accepting suggestions for what it could do differently. You can drop off those ideas at the Westdale location.

CEDAR RAPIDS - The City of Cedar Rapids is moving forward with its increase in interim flood protection. The following actions were taken this month:

Tiger Dams – The water filled bladders that will be used in the Time Check area along Ellis Boulevard NW to increase the flood protection from 22 to 24 feet were purchased on March 9. They were received on March 19. The preliminary date for the training on the material will occur on April 15.

Pumps – Over the last five years, the city has been modernizing and increasing the number of pumps used for pumping storm and sanitary water during floods and maintenance work. Prior to the May 2004 flood, the city had 32 pumps of various sizes. The number was slowly increased to 42, prior to the June 2008 flood. With the receipt of seven new pumps this week, the city now has repaired or replaced all of the pumps and has 49 available for use. The city has been shifting to diesel operated pumps with 25 gallon tanks which require fewer personnel to fuel and maintain during operations. Over the next year, the number and capacities will be increased to meet the expanded need per the flood plan.

Haseco Boxes – These are earthen filled boxes that will be used in the downtown and Czech Village areas to increase the flood protection from 22 to 24 feet. They were purchased on March 17. The company reported that partial shipping may start as early as March 24. Over 200 truck loads of fill, for use in the boxes, has been pre-positioned in south east Cedar Rapids at the Sinclair site.

Looking down 2nd Ave towards the Federal Court House and May’s Island after the flood in downtown Cedar Rapids on Sunday, June 15, 2008. (Steve Gravelle/The Gazette)

CEDAR RAPIDS - Usher’s Ferry will reopen this summer, but not without some major spring cleaning.

Usher’s Ferry is supposed to be a beautiful look into yesteryear. But so far this year, it’s a mess as thousands of bricks wait to get planted into walkways.

“And I think that it will go fairly smoothly, it’s just a pattern and they’re going to need eight different sections,” says Usher’s Ferry’s Teresa White.

The flood waters mangled the bricks, making the more than 4,000 square feet of walkways unsafe.

“And the group we had this week tore up all those bricks, 50 kids from St. Louis who gave up their spring break and come up here to do the volunteer work.”

Americorps organizers are in town, and they are hoping Eastern Iowa volunteers will give up their Saturday to finish the work.

They’re not just looking for bricklayers, there are a lot of leaves out here to get picked up.

Loren Finazzo of Americorps says, “And with a lot of volunteers, it helps, the positive attitude puts out a good message that things can be fixed.”

The buildings out here still need a lot of work. But, if the grounds are cleaned this weekend, the educational old town will have programs running all summer long.

“The trees start blooming and they’re flowering trees. If we get this all cleaned up, get the gazebo stripped, the whole area in a months time could be really pretty.”

But first, there’s a lot of work.

Organizers of the usher’s Ferry Clean-up want volunteers to show up as early as 8:45 a.m.

If you have a rake, bring one. But, they say they do have plenty of supplies if you don’t.

IOWA CITY (AP) - The president of the Iowa Board of Regents says replacing the flood-damaged theater and art complexes at the University of Iowa is likely the best choice.

The board toured the buildings on Thursday during its meeting in Iowa City.

While the board hasn’t voted yet on replacing or repairing the complexes, Regents President David Miles is encouraging university officials to move forward with research of potential sites and costs.

The theater complex, which includes Hancher Auditorium, and Art Building East were among 22 buildings damaged in last summer’s floods. Officials have estimated the recovery will cost $743 million.

University officials will make a recommendation to the regents on April 30.

Floodwaters from the Iowa River surround Hancher Auditorium and Voxman Music building on the University of Iowa arts campus Sunday, June 15, 2008 in Iowa City. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)

IOWA CITY - Preliminary reports from the University of Iowa to the Board of Regents suggest Hancher Auditorium will likely be relocated.

There’s no final decision yet and additional analysis in the next four weeks might mean rebuilding would be a better option.

But, comments made today at the Board of Regents meeting in Iowa City suggest that decision makers are leaning towards a full replacement of Hancher/Voxman/Clapp over a renovation of the current building.

Board of Regents President David Miles said,”This seems like a reasonable thought at this point and so to be working very hard that angle and considering that as a likely or highly possible option seems very reasonable.”

Part of the support for a new building might stem from the subtle cost difference.

To replace Hancher, total flood damages for the U of I would be estimated at $743 million dollars. The university would have to pay 185 million of that.

If the U of I renovates the existing Hancher, total flood damage estimates would be lowered to 590 million.

Still, the U of I would shoulder $175-million of the costs. So, for the U of I, its cost difference between rebuilding or replacing comes down to $10 million.

The U of I will give the Board of Regents its formal recommendations next month.

Floodwaters from the Iowa River surround Hancher Auditorium and Voxman Music building on the University of Iowa arts campus Sunday, June 15, 2008 in Iowa City. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)

DES MOINES (AP) - Members of Iowa’s congressional delegation are urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reconsider it’s decision that denied the City of Cedar Rapids funds to help temporarily relocate its main library.

Iowa Sens. Tom Harkin, a Democrat, and Chuck Grassley, a Republican, as well as 2nd District Rep. Dave Loebsack, a Democrat,
sent a letter Tuesday to Nancy Ward, FEMA acting director. In it, they request “due consideration” to an appeal filed by the city.

According to a news release from Harkin’s office, FEMA recently decided that the main library was not an “essential service.”

During flooding last summer, the first floor of the downtown Cedar Rapids library was submerged and more than 167,000 items were destroyed.

The release says estimates show it will take about 18 months to repair the damage.