RSS News feed for Front Page News on CorridorRecovery.org. en-us http://www.corridorrecovery.org Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -6 Mon, 8 Mar 2010 15:41:25 -6 Corridor Recovery Line Writer webmaster@corridorrecovery.org (Webmaster) http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=672 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=672 CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – March 8, 2010 – The Cedar Rapids City Council is changing the date, time and location of all work sessions and regular meetings beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, March 9, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hiawatha City Council Chambers.For the rest of 2010, the City Council’s work sessions will start at 4:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. The regular meetings will start at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Public comment periods will be provided at the beginning of regular meetings and at the end of work sessions. All of these meetings will be held at the Hiawatha City Hall, located at 101 Emmons Street in Hiawatha. For a complete schedule, go tohttp://www.cedar-rapids.org/clerk/council_meetings.asp.The City Council’s weekly meeting agendas are now published online on Fridays at 4:00 p.m. The weekly agenda packets are now published online on Mondays at noon. These documents are posted on the City’s website, specifically on the City Council Meetings page: http://www.cedar-rapids.org/clerk/council_meetings.asp.Each week, Mediacom Communications and ImOn Communications air the Cedar Rapids City Council meetings on their public access channels. For ImOn customers, the City Council meetings air on Channel 6 on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. For Mediacom customers, the City Council meetings air on Channel 18 on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m.In addition, Pro Video videotapes the weekly Wednesday evening meetings and hosts the programs on its website at http://provideoweb.com/citycouncil/.For more information about Cedar Rapids City Council meetings, visithttp://www.cedar-rapids.org/clerk/council_meetings.asp. Mon, 8 Mar 2010 15:38:35 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=671 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=671 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – March 8, 2010 – Beginning next week, the City of Cedar Rapids will demolish 286 residential structures that sustained extensive damage in the Flood of 2008. The City has determined that these structures pose an imminent threat to the life, health, property and safety of the public, based on the nuisance abatement requirements contained in Chapter 22 of the Municipal Code. Depending on weather conditions, these demolitions are expected to begin no sooner than March 15, 2010. The City has received signed permission from each of the property owners to demolish the residential structures on the 286 properties identified below. Each property owner has signed a “Content to Enter, and if necessary Demolish” form. The City has conducted multiple checks of ownership on each property to ensure accuracy. Property owners are being notified of the pending demolition through mailed letters, signs posted on the structures, legal notices in The Gazette and this media release. As each demolition is scheduled, property owners will be notified again with a phone call. In addition, the City has mailed letters to each of the 286 property owners that carried flood insurance prior to the Flood of 2008. The letters request information about flood insurance reimbursements. Property owners are encouraged to complete the enclosed National Flood Insurance Program forms. Any reimbursement for demolition costs by the property owner’s insurance company or any other source is to be assigned to the City of Cedar Rapids for reimbursement to FEMA for the final demolition costs. If one of the properties listed below changes ownership in the coming weeks, please notify Denise Filip of the Code Enforcement Division at (319) 286-5185. The City will seek reimbursement from FEMA for the cost of demolishing the following 286 flood-damaged residential structures: 905 Ellis Blvd NW 1006 Ellis Blvd NW 1015 Ellis Blvd NW 1106 Ellis Blvd NW 1112 Ellis Blvd NW 1125 Ellis Blvd NW 1126 Ellis Blvd NW 1216 Ellis Blvd NW 1221 Ellis Blvd NW 1233 Ellis Blvd NW 1327 Ellis Blvd NW 1328 Ellis Blvd NW 1338 Ellis Blvd NW 1519 Ellis Blvd NW 1606 Ellis Blvd NW 1611 Ellis Blvd NW 1614 Ellis Blvd NW 1618 Ellis Blvd NW 1621 Ellis Blvd NW 1628 Ellis Blvd NW 1632 Ellis Blvd NW 1634 Ellis Blvd NW 1641 Ellis Blvd NW 1642 Ellis Blvd NW 1646 Ellis Blvd NW 1649 Ellis Blvd NW 1674 Ellis Blvd NW 1714 Ellis Blvd NW 1717 Ellis Blvd NW 1718 Ellis Blvd NW 1725 Ellis Blvd NW 1837 Ellis Blvd NW 1850 Ellis Blvd NW 1915 Ellis Blvd NW 630 1st Ave NW 1302 1st St NW 1312 1st St NW 1332 1st St NW 1412 1st St NW 612 3rd St NW 1240 3rd St NW 1302 3rd St NW 1321 3rd St NW 1401 3rd St NW 120 4th St NW 128 4th St NW 216 4th St NW 220 4th St NW 312 4th St NW 602 4th St NW 609 4th St NW 613 4th St NW 721 4th St NW 816 4th St NW 820 4th St NW 824 4th St NW 1206 4th St NW 1207 4th St NW 1212 4th St NW 1216 4th St NW 1227 4th St NW 1237 4th St NW 1238 4th St NW 1243 4th St NW 1247 4th St NW 1253 4th St NW 1301 4th St NW 1309 4th St NW 1315 4th St NW 1321 4th St NW 1327 4th St NW 1333 4th St NW 1344 4th St NW 1400 4th St NW 1403 4th St NW 1407 4th St NW 1408 4th St NW 1413 4th St NW 1414 4th St NW 1418 4th St NW 1422 4th St NW 1426 4th St NW 1433 4th St NW 1502 4th St NW 1503 4th St NW 1526 4th St NW 211 5th St NW 215 5th St NW 319 5th St NW 424 5th St NW 1006 5th St NW 1126 5th St NW 1207 5th St NW 1208 5th St NW 1212 5th St NW 1213 5th St NW 1223 5th St NW 1226 5th St NW 1231 5th St NW 1301 5th St NW 1305 5th St NW 1307 5th St NW 1316 5th St NW 1333 5th St NW 1336 5th St NW 1337 5th St NW 1403 5th St NW 1406 5th St NW 1416 5th St NW 1421 5th St NW 1422 5th St NW 1428 5th St NW 1432 5th St NW 1503 5th St NW 1508 5th St NW 1511 5th St NW 1518 5th St NW 1524 5th St NW 1525 5th St NW 1527 5th St NW 1600 5th St NW 1605 5th St NW 1611 5th St NW 1612 5th St NW 1618 5th St NW 1622 5th St NW 1626 5th St NW 1637 5th St NW 1011 6th St NW 1018 6th St NW 1034 6th St NW 1103 6th St NW 1105 6th St NW 1106 6th St NW 1111 6th St NW 1115 6th St NW 1116 6th St NW 1123 6th St NW 1124 6th St NW 1130 6th St NW 1203 6th St NW 1217 6th St NW 1237 6th St NW 1305 6th St NW 1312 6th St NW 1322 6th St NW 1333 6th St NW 1338 6th St NW 1345 6th St NW 1408 6th St NW 1432 6th St NW 1500 6th St NW 1501 6th St NW 1520 6th St NW 1524 6th St NW 1525 6th St NW 1526 6th St NW 1605 6th St NW 1607 6th St NW 1618 6th St NW 1627 6th St NW 1636 6th St NW 1641 6th St NW 1646 6th St NW 1649 6th St NW 1656 6th St NW 1662 6th St NW 1668 6th St NW 1670 6th St NW 819 8th St NW 1003 8th St NW 1006 8th St NW 1016 8th St NW 1030 8th St NW 1032 8th St NW 1033 8th St NW 1107 8th St NW 1108 8th St NW 1112 8th St NW 1229 8th St NW 1308 8th St NW 1512 8th St NW 1525 8th St NW 1614 8th St NW 1619 8th St NW 1633 8th St NW 1634 8th St NW 1645 8th St NW 1658 8th St NW 1700 8th St NW 1716 8th St NW 1717 8th St NW 1727 8th St NW 1733 8th St NW 1810 8th St NW 1818 8th St NW 1836 8th St NW 1837 8th St NW 1840 8th St NW 1845 8th St NW 1848 8th St NW 1852 8th St NW 1857 8th St NW 1861 8th St NW 313 9th St NW 1019 9th St NW 1031 9th St NW 1105 9th St NW 1116 9th St NW 1630 9th St NW 1670 9th St NW 1014 10thSt NW 1026 10th St NW 1238 10th St NW 423 A Ave NW 610 A Ave NW 322 B Ave NW 1016 B Ave NW 508 C Ave NW 512 C Ave NW 815 D Ave NW 306 E Ave NW 807 E Ave NW 313 F Ave NW 317 F Ave NW 321 F Ave NW 408 F Ave NW 500 F Ave NW 502 F Ave NW 724 F Ave NW 814 F Ave NW 300 G Ave NW 306 G Ave NW 309 G Ave NW 400 G Ave NW 401 G Ave NW 405 G Ave NW 419 G Ave NW 420 G Ave NW 432 G Ave NW 708 G Ave NW 709 G Ave NW 714 G Ave NW 719 G Ave NW 827 G Ave NW 302 H Ave NW 309 H Ave NW 312 H Ave NW 315 H Ave NW 316 H Ave NW 330 H Ave NW 402 H Ave NW 404 H Ave NW 601 H Ave NW 604 H Ave NW 615 H Ave NW 619 H Ave NW 714 H Ave NW 721 H Ave NW 305 I Ave NW 314 I Ave NW 331 I Ave NW 406 I Ave NW 408 I Ave NW 414 I Ave NW 516 I Ave NW 604 I Ave NW 615 I Ave NW 620 I Ave NW 621 I Ave NW 404 J Ave NW 407 J Ave NW 422 J Ave NW 427 J Ave NW 606 J Ave NW 609 J Ave NW 320 K Ave NW 412 K Ave NW 501 K Ave NW 1024 K Ave NW 517 N Ave NW 710 O Ave NW 801 O Ave NW 813 O Ave NW 714 Penn Ave NW 721 Q Ave NW Mon, 8 Mar 2010 15:37:11 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=670 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=670 Rebuild Iowa Office Offers ‘Funding Booklet’ to Provide Further Details on Funding Sources(DES MOINES)– Disaster recovery funds promised to Iowa for use in state, community, business and individual recovery programs for the 2008 floods and tornadoes now exceed $3.8 billion. So far, more than $3 billion of those funds have been approved for use. More than $1.1 billion of the $3.8 billion has been spent in Iowa.Many disaster assistance programs operate on a reimbursement basis. This method results in a gap between “spent” and “approved” funds. As projects move toward completion, money will be reimbursed to the homeowner, business, community or entity, which will be reflected in the “spent” column. In addition, buyouts of disaster-impacted homes have just started to occur in Iowa. Once the buyout process is completed, the state will see another increase of funds in the “spent” column of the funding chart below.In order to best explain each of the funding sources and details of how each is administered, the Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO) released a “State of Iowa Disaster Recovery Funding Sources” booklet in January. The booklet can be accessed on the RIO’s Web site homepage or by clicking: http://www.rio.iowa.gov/assets/funding_charts/funding_sources_booklet.pdf.Iowans can also follow the money as it moves through the system from federal agencies to local entities through funding charts and graphsat www.rio.iowa.gov.The chart below provides a snapshot of the latest funding information as of Feb. 28, 2010. Funding SourceAllocation to IowaApproved for Local or State UseSpentFEMA Housing amp; Other Needs Assistance Funds$136,551,117$136,551,117$135,358,470FEMA Infrastructure Funds(Hazard Mitigation amp; Property Acquisition)$294,000,000$102,922,119---FEMA Public Assistance$853,268,445$853,268,445 $312,703,443 U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan$272,436,500$272,436,500$134,011,000Community Development Block Grant $798,701,825$475,694,893$57,766,534U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – Emergency Watershed Program$71,873,614$36,451,307$5,658,473U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – Rural Development$200,500,000$200,500,000$200,500,000U.S. Dept. of Agriculture –Farm Services and Emergency Conservation Program$34,927,700$34,927,700$34,927,700U.S. Army Corps of Engineers$72,951,436$72,951,436$72,951,436Initial State Funding for Jumpstart Housing amp; Business Programs$35,000,000$34,947,069$34,137,239State Executive Council Action $28,261,175$28,011,175$5,828,012Iowa Finance Authority Tax Credits $626,479,310$414,819,430$62,484,753U.S. Dept. of Transportation Funds$34,886,219$34,160,728$17,823,434National Emergency Grant for Labor/Jobs Assistance $28,773,300$28,182,798$20,530,855Social Service Block Grant $11,157,944$11,157,944$3,657,104Disaster Unemployment Assistance $6,681,951$6,681,951$6,681,951Economic Development Administration (EDA)$26,842,654$26,842,654$2,166,220Crisis Counseling Grant$2,665,429$2,665,429$2,455,856State College Scholarship amp; Grant Reserve$500,000$500,000$500,000Iowa Disaster Recovery Bill$56,000,000$52,406,492$50,138,965National Endowment for the Arts Emergency Support$100,000$100,000$100,000CEBA Disaster Recovery$2,810,000$2,810,000$2,810,000Administration on Aging$57,818$57,818$50,761Regents Bonding for Disaster Recovery$100,000,000$100,000,000---I-Jobs Bonding for Disaster Recovery$170,000,000$167,735,976$3,877,909GRAND TOTAL$3,865,426,437$3,096,782,981$1,167,120,115More than 39,800 Iowans registered with FEMA for disaster assistance and more than 35,000 Iowans visited FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers around the state. Of the 85 Iowa counties eligible for federal assistance, 77 are eligible for both individual assistance and public assistanceIowans can learn more about financial assistance programs and how to apply by calling 1-866-849-0323. For more information about the state's recovery and rebuilding efforts, please visit the Rebuild Iowa Office Web site at www.rio.iowa.gov.### Mon, 8 Mar 2010 15:32:13 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=669 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=669 Floodplain Map Information Session to Precede ForumCEDAR RAPIDS, IA – March 4, 2010 –Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett will host his monthly Flood Forum on Thursday, March 11, at 6:00 p.m. in the Westdale MallLower Level (West of the Cedar Rapids Public Library), located at 2600 Edgewood Road SW. All Cedar Rapids residents are invited to attend. The forum will feature three presentations:Status update on the Cedar Rapids flood risk management system feasibility study by the US Army Corps of EngineersSpring 2010 Weather Forecasting Overview by the National Weather ServiceCedar Rapids’ Flood Response System amp; Interim Flood Protection Measures by City staffColonel Shawn McGinley, the commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District, will provide the first presentation. After all of the presentations, attendees will be encouraged to speak individually with the presenters, the Voluntary Property Acquisition Steering Committee members and City staff.New Floodplain Map Information Session on March 11Preceding the Mayor’s Flood Forum, residents are invited to attend an information session to review the updated FEMA flood insurance rate maps of Cedar Rapids and to speak individually with FEMA, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and City staff representatives. The event will be held:Thursday, March 11Any time between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.Cedar Rapids Public Library Community Room, on the lower level of Westdale MallResidents are encouraged to study the information displayed at the session. No formal presentation will be provided, but experts will be on hand to answer questions.As of April 5, 2010, the updated flood insurance rate maps of Cedar Rapids, also known as floodplain maps, will change the flood risk category of approximately 1, 900 properties. Properties located in the Special Flood Hazard Area that receive funding from a federally-insured lending institution will be required to purchase flood insurance. Properties that move into a higher flood risk category on the new maps are eligible for grandfathered insurance premium rates if purchased before April 5, 2010. Residents should call 1-888-379-9531 or view www.floodsmart.gov for more information about flood insurance premium rates. Fri, 5 Mar 2010 09:25:18 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=668 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=668 State agencies share information on flood insurance, safety precautions and flood factsDES MOINES – At a press conference today, Governor Chet Culver proclaimed March Flood Awareness Month, kicking off a month-long public information campaign to educate Iowans about flood insurance, disaster precautions and other safety facts. Flood awareness is particularly important since Iowa is still recovering from the floods and storms of 2008. The 2008 disaster was not only the worst natural disaster to strike the state, but is considered one of the largest disasters on record in U.S. history.“What happened in 2008 has made us all aware of the need to be prepared,” said Governor Culver. “We want all Iowans to understand what resources are available to minimize loss should another flood event occur. It is especially important for Iowans to be aware of whether they live in or near a flood plain, and discuss flood preparations with their families.”Throughout March, the Rebuild Iowa Office, the Iowa Insurance Division, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division will share flood-related information and safety tips with the media and the public.“It is important for all of these agencies to come together for this partnership,” said Rebuild Iowa Office Executive Director Lt. General Ron Dardis. “This month is meant to be so much more than a reminder of the disasters we’ve endured in the past. It is a call to action that we must be prepared for when, not if, the next disaster strikes.”Officials also want to make sure Iowans are aware of the availability of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This is particularly important to consider in March as Iowa’s snow begins to melt. Unlike homeowner’s insurance, there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance begins once a person purchases a policy. According to the NFIP, a home located in a flood plain has a seven times greater risk of having a flood than a fire.People may purchase flood insurance for a home or business, regardless of whether the property is in a flood plain as long as the community is participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. Iowans can find out whether a particular community is enrolled in the program by visiting the Rebuild Iowa Office’s Web site at www.rio.iowa.gov.Another helpful Web site for Iowans to refer to is www.FloodSmart.gov. Homeowners, renters and small business owners can estimate their premiums and calculate their flood insurance rate. There are currently more than 15,360 flood insurance policies in Iowa.Iowans can learn more about flood safety tips and how to create a family emergency plan at www.bereadyiowa.org.# # # Fri, 5 Mar 2010 09:07:14 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=667 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=667 Governor Culver to Sign Proclamation on ThursdayToday, several state agencies kicked off a month-long public information campaign designating March as Flood Awareness Month. Flood awareness is particularly important since Iowa is still recovering from the floods and storms of 2008. The 2008 disaster was not only the worst natural disaster to strike the state, but is considered one of the largest disasters on record in U.S. history.The Rebuild Iowa Office, the Iowa Insurance Division, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division will share flood-related information and safety tips with the media and the public throughout the month of March. Special presentations have also been organized in various communities about the benefits of flood insurance and preparing for future disasters.“We do not know exactly what this spring will bring, but we do know that the storms and floods of 2008 have made us all aware of the need to be prepared,” said Governor Chet Culver. “We want all Iowans to be aware of the resources that are available to minimize loss should flooding occur again.”On Thursday, Governor Culver will sign a proclamation declaring March Flood Awareness Month at a public event at the Capitol at 8:30 a.m.State officials advise people to start assessing their risk of flooding by being aware of whether they live in or near a flood plain, discussing flood preparations with their families, and considering flood insurance. Iowans who rent or own a home or business should also be aware of the availability of flood insurance. Iowans want to consider looking into the insurance as soon as possible, because unlike homeowner’s insurance, there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance begins once a person purchases a policy. Iowans can find out more by visiting the Rebuild Iowa Office’s Web site at www.rio.iowa.gov.Another helpful Web site for Iowans to refer to is www.FloodSmart.gov. Homeowners, renters and small business owners can estimate their premiums, calculate their flood insurance rate and find a local insurance agent qualified to sell flood insurance on this site. There are currently15,360 flood insurance policies in Iowa, up approximately 40-percent from this time in 2008.Lastly, Iowa’s Homeland and Security Management Division offers three simple steps for Iowans to protect themselves and their families before a flood or disaster occurs:Learn about and stay aware of flood risks in your community.Work with family members to put together a family emergency and evacuation plan.Put together an emergency kit before a disaster strikes.Iowans can learn more about flood safety tips, evacuation plans and how to prepare for a disaster at www.bereadyiowa.org.# # # Mon, 1 Mar 2010 20:36:57 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=666 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=666 “2008 Flood Viewer” Illustrates 2010 FEMA Flood ZonesThe City of Cedar Rapids has added more data to its interactive, online map of all the properties impacted by the Flood of 2008, called the “2008 Flood Viewer.” Now residents can check the status of their properties as it relates to the updated FEMA flood insurance rate maps that will take effect on April 5, 2010.To see the new data, go to www.cedar-rapids.org/community/floodinfo2008 and click on the “Interactive Map of Flood Affected Properties” link. Look for the new tab on the map labeled “FEMA Flood Zones 1991 and 2010.” This tab allows users to see the overlap or toggle between the 1991 and 2010 versions of the floodplain maps.These new FEMA floodplain maps will change the flood risk category of approximately 1,900 properties in Cedar Rapids.As of April 5, 2010, properties located in the Special Flood Hazard Area, as designated by the updated flood insurance rate maps, that receive funding from a federally-insured lending institution will be required to purchase flood insurance. Properties that move into a higher flood risk category on the new maps are eligible for grandfathered insurance premium rates if purchased before April 5, 2010. For more information about flood insurance premium rates, call 1-888-379-9531 or view www.floodsmart.gov. The FEMA Map Modernization program is a national initiative. To learn more about it, visit http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/mm_main.shtm. In addition, Cedar Rapids residents are invited to attend an information session on Thursday March 11, any time between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., to review the new official floodplain maps and to speak with FEMA, IDNR and City representatives. The event will be held in the Community Room at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, on the lower level of Westdale Mall, 2600 Edgewood Road SW. Residents are encouraged to study the information displayed at the session. No formal presentation will be provided, but experts will be on hand to answer questions.Here is the direct link to the “2008 Flood Viewer” map: http://72.50.232.91/Freeance/Client/PublicAccess1/index.html?appconfig=Public_2008_Flood_Map. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:08:13 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=665 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=665 The City of Cedar Rapids invites all residents to submit online feedback on the future design of our community. Residents are encouraged to visitwww.Cedar-Rapids.org/development, click on “Hot Topics” and choose the “Urban Design Principles” link. On that Web page, the City is providing three concepts for public review: the “Automobile City”, the “Traditional City” and the “Green City.” More information about these three concepts and the participant feedback gathered at previous open house events can be found by clicking on the “Open House #2” links. Residents may enter their own comments, input and feedback using the link to a feedback form. The completed form should be e-mailed to development@cedar-rapids.org.This Urban Design Principles public participation process is a five-month process to provide information and gather input on developing citywide principles for Cedar Rapids. Urban Design Principles are the tools cities use to ensure quality design of new development. All participants’ feedback will be used to create a preferred set of Urban Design Principles to be presented for public review on April 13. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:06:34 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=664 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=664 February 24, 2010 –Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett provided the following statement in his State of the City Address:“These are critical days for our community and it is important to take stock. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be the Mayor of Cedar Rapids. Having been in this position for only eight weeks really doesn’t qualify me to give a State of the City Address. Eight weeks is not enough time to make an in-depth assessment. However, since the charter requires me to do so, I will try my best.“I do not want to be overly pessimistic, nor do I want to be irresponsibly optimistic. I just want to be realistic. I believe that we are somewhere between ‘running on all eight cylinders’ and ‘life support’. If you are the owners of Blend restaurant, you are probably leaning towards the ‘life support’ view. If you are John Sadler, of Sadler Power Train, you are probably leaning towards ‘eight cylinders’. It really depends on the seat you are sitting in.“We have some companies doing fine, while others are on the verge of closing down. We have some citizens getting promotions, while others are still looking for a job. I hear from many citizens - mostly people who are struggling and people who are facing challenges. Maybe that skews me to think we still have a long way to go towards recovery. However, is that really what you want to hear, where we are today, or are you more interested in talking about tomorrow, six months, nine months, and one year from now? It is important to understand the current situation, but I believe it is more important to know where you are going. I would like the balance of my remarks to focus on moving forward, making progress and getting results.“I believe, strongly, that people in Cedar Rapids want confident government in these challenging times. Getting from point A to point B isn’t easy though. I believe there are three important steps that need to happen in order for success to be enhanced: Step One: Do we have goals, objectives and a way to measure our success? The answer to all those is, “Yes, we do.” I personally have one more piece to add to the trio and that is a ‘guiding principle’. I am going to mix a little spirituality, not really religion, to this speech. This is just me talking, not the City Council or City staff. I have a bible verse that I have adopted as the Mayor’s verse. I have chosen Proverbs 31:8-9, as my guiding principle. This is the New International Version: ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.’ I believe this is what life is all about… helping people. And that’s my role as the mayor of your city. This is step one in achieving results. Step Tw Do we have a common cause, a focal point? Each step gets a little harder. Some of you may say, ‘Yes, we do,’ while others may say, ‘No, we don’t.’ There are days when it seems that we are packed to the gills with issues to address and solve. How do you develop that common cause, that focal point? This fall, I went to the production of the Broadway musical show, ‘Wicked’. My daughter bought the CD from the musical and she plays it all the time. One of the songs has a line that really crystallizes the challenge, ‘Don’t dream too far and don’t lose sight of who you are.’ On the one hand, there is the feeling that we can’t dream, that we shouldn’t get starry-eyed. On the other hand, there is the feeling that we have to be practical or we put limits on ourselves. Have you ever heard someone say, ‘We can’t do that? This is Cedar Rapids, Iowa!’ Perhaps in your own life you’ve hear, ‘I can’t get a job there. I don’t have the education.’ As individuals and as communities, we struggle with this dichotomy. Neither side is right or wrong. You can’t have all dreamers with no sense of reality, nor can every body be so risk adverse that no chances are taken. Interestingly enough, we don’t always find ourselves in the same camp. It always depends on the issue. We need both view points. This is why it is so difficult to find that common cause, that focal point. In our roles as Mayor and City Council, it falls on us to bring these competing sides together.‘We really have two focal points. Let’s see if you agree. Our first focal point is flood recovery. This has been and will be our top issue for the foreseeable future. We need to continue to support the flood community. They have been through so much. Former President Bill Clinton used the line, ‘I feel your pain.’ I like to say, ‘I have seen the pain.’That is why we have fought so hard to get the fair market value set at 107%. Think about how you might have felt when you heard every other town was giving 110% or above. How would you feel? Most of the flood community felt like they were getting short changed. Hopefully, we have started to show we are fighting for them. Remember the guiding principle. We have much more to do.Next is appropriating the local option sales tax revenues. We need to get that money out to flood-affected people. The local option sales tax was designed to fill in the cracks. I realize there are times when government gets accused of helping out the rich and powerful. The little guy always seems to feel like he gets the short end of the stick. Washington, D.C. has coined a phrase: ‘too big to fail.’ Cedar Rapids should coin its own phrase: ‘no one is too small or unimportant to let fall through the cracks. Absolutely, no one.’ Nobody will ever be whole, but we can ease the trauma. We will get the sales tax appropriated and start the demolition of homes next month.Flood recovery reaches farther than people. We have our civic assets that need to be rebuilt and restored. We have five priorities this year to launch: Paramount Theatre: This beautiful, majestic theater is one of the jewels of our cultural community. It will be restored and have a little more leg roomCedar Rapids Public Library: This will bring $45 million to the downtown. It will be a gathering place teaming with people. I can’t wait until kids are checking out books. This will be the pride and joy of our town. Any of the proposed sites will work, so let’s focus on the asset. US Cellular Center and Events Center: The year was 1979 and I was a freshman in college. I turn 50 this year. That is how long it has been since the dedication of the arena. We need this convention center and arena upgraded. Cedar Rapids has to be competitive. Central Fire Station: The old central fire station will be relocated. We will soon have a new chief. Fire service is a basic function in a community. We will pick a site and chose a construction manager this year. City Hall: The Veterans’ Memorial Building is part of our history. I think the Council will likely decide to move back and use the former federal courthouse and Veterans’ Memorial Building. We need to be back downtown.There are other projects that will be worked on, but these are the big five.That leads me to the final aspect of flood recovery: a permanent flood protection system. We have a flood protection plan. We need to protect the town with a system that is made up of both levees and walls. But as Coralville and Iowa City have found out, a reservoir as a flood protection system has failed twice in the last 15 years. Flood protection systems are never a 100% guarantee. This is why we also have to push for more flood prevention upstream. This is a big issue. Actually, I think it is the biggest issue facing us. As Mayor, I will consider myself a failure if I don’t secure funding for a protection system that would protect both sides of the river. It is easy to fall off the radar screen in Washington, DC. If you watched any of the stories surrounding the Super Bowl, you have seen that New Orleans is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina after four and a half years. Unlike New Orleans, we will not have a Super Bowl Championship Team to help us bring a renewed focus on our disaster. The effort really falls on the political leadership of Cedar Rapids. Frankly, it needs to get done this year. Our first common cause or focal point is flood recovery that focuses on people, civic assets and flood protection.Our second focal point is to restore the fruitfulness of our economy. A growing economy produces fruit - the fruits of jobs, broad tax base, wealth and expanding commerce. We are seeing quite a mixed bag from the business community today. We can’t afford to sit idly by and watch as we lose jobs and businesses close. That is why we pushed the ‘buy local’ effort in the first city council meeting of the year.This is also why our budget for next year will include a zero percent increase in property taxes on commercial and industrial property. Now is not the time to saddle businesses who are struggling to make payroll and debt payments with higher taxes. Getting the construction projects up and running will also help with getting people back to work. It is not enough. Many of the flood-impacted businesses are on the brink of bankruptcy. Their principal and interest payments need to be suspended for 48 months. The state needs to waive local match for any new or expanding jobs project until our tax base is restored. The downtown tax base needs to double and triple over the next decade. Priority One needs to step up and do more recruiting. The Entrepreneurial Development Center needs to get more businesses in the pipeline. We are going to be taking more than 1,300 properties off the tax rolls. We need to grow.As I ask others to step up, I am also going to challenge the city staff to hang out the sign ‘open for business.’ We need a culture change. No more reasons why it can’t be done but how it can get done. I don’t like a City department being called code enforcement. When you get a letter from the IRS, what is the first thing that comes over you - a lump in your throat or a pit in your stomach? Why? You think they are after you! What do you think when code enforcement sends you a letter or makes a call? You get the feeling you are in trouble. That’s what you feel. Let’s change it to code assistance.We have to create and retain every job we can. You have all heard the news that this will be a jobless recovery. Well, if the rest of the cities across America want to accept that, so be it. In Cedar Rapids, we have always been leaders in job creation. It is time, as Chef Emeril Lagasse would say, to ‘kick it up a notch’ on business development and job growth.“Those are our common causes, our two focal points: flood recovery and restoring the fruitfulness of our economy. Some of you may be thinking, ‘He didn’t say anything about the next generation workforce, trails, diversity, roads, public safety. He should have talked more about arts, culture and the downtown.’ Just because my speech today was light on those subjects doesn’t mean the city council doesn’t support them or doesn’t think they are important. It just means that we have to have a focus. If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority. Knowing that we have a focus, does it start to give you confidence in city government? Now the final step to having success in achieving results… Step three: Engagement is the most important step. Elected officials can’t accomplish anything without the support of the people. You are the key ingredient. We can have goals, objectives, measurements and guiding principles. We can have a common cause and a focused agenda. I suppose we can make some incremental progress. To really get results however, we need you! Not just to support, but to be active citizens. The power lies with you. KCRG-TV9’s Beth Malicki said on her show one time that it would take an army to accomplish everything Cedar Rapids needs to get done. She is right. You are that army.“I believe Cedar Rapids is in good hands. Why do I believe Cedar Rapids is in good hands? Because the future of our town is in your hands and I believe in you. The question is, ‘Do you believe?’ I just love that word, ‘believe.’ People stand up for their beliefs. They speak out for their beliefs. They will fight for their beliefs. And some will die for their beliefs. It conveys power and emotion. Because when you believe in something, you make a commitment to that belief. I believe in you, all of you.“Take a look around you. Look at your colleagues, your neighbors, your friends and family. This town is in your hands and theirs. Do you believe that Cedar Rapids’ best days are still ahead? Do you believe greater things are still to be done? If you do, then I ask you to stand. Look into the eyes of those around you and say, ‘I believe in Cedar Rapids.’” Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:01:22 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=663 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=663 Disaster Recovery Money Generated Local Spending, Created Jobs In 2008, 2009Note:More than $3.6 billion in disaster-recovery funds have been committed to Iowa since the 2008 floods and tornadoes. “Working to Recover” is an effort by the Rebuild Iowa Office to show how disaster recovery funds have assisted individuals, businesses and communities as the money flows out through recovery programs administered by local, state, federal and non-profit agencies. Volunteer efforts will also be highlighted.(DES MOINES)–Iowans will have a better understanding of how disaster recovery dollars have impacted the state economically when a study being done by an Iowa State University economist is completed later this year.David Swenson is looking at the economic impact of disaster recovery funding related to the 2008 tornadoes and floods. The 2008 disasters are considered the worst natural disaster on record to hit the state, and are currently ranked as one of the largest natural disasters in U.S. history according to FEMA Public Assistance figures.However, the study will help provide a more complete picture of how the 2008 disasters affected Iowa’s economy.“It is notoriously hard to estimate the consequences of disasters on the overall economy,” Swenson said. “Take for example Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Rapids economy got the wind knocked out of it, but going into July and August of 2008, productivity had recovered sharply.” By other measures, Cedar Rapids faces its share of recovery challenges; businesses that reopened are still struggling, and people are still working to rebuild their livelihoods due to this disaster, Swenson said.The downturn in the economy further complicates the efforts to measure economic impact of the disasters. However, one way of measuring the impact of the disasters is by looking at how much is being spent to repair the damage and replace destroyed structures and infrastructure, which is what the study does.A preliminary report released on the study in early January looks at spending effects from the time of the disasters through December of 2009.The report estimates that $665.2 million in recovery assistance spending has resulted in $997.6 million in total industrial output, and $336.9 million in labor incomes has supported the equivalent of 8,543 jobs in the state.The study notes that these types of economic impacts are primarily due to disaster funding coming into the state. Since the analysis is based only on spent resources, the figures are not future economic impact values, but rather values that either already occurred or are occurring currently in the economy.The final report, due to come out this summer, will include expended disaster funds through June of this year. It should be noted that even at that point, there will still be public assistance and other projects for which disaster recovery dollars have been committed, but not yet spent. Those funds will not show up as part of the study.To read a copy of the preliminary report, click on the following link: http://www.rio.iowa.gov/resources/reports/Statewide_Economic_Impacts_of_Disaster_Payments.pdf. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:36:02 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=662 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=662 Mayor: “All Buyouts Based on Fair Market Value of 107%” Today, the City of Cedar Rapids received notice that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) willadjust the fair market value percentage to 107% of pre-flood assessed value for the City’s Voluntary Property Acquisitions inside the Greenway Area. This means that all property owners registered for a buyout, whether the property is located in the Greenway, the Construction/Study Area or is damaged beyond reasonable repair in the Neighborhood Revitalization Area, will receive Offers to Purchase based on this increased pre-flood property value. “Now all of the City’s purchase prices for buyouts will be treated equally,” said Mayor Ron Corbett. “I’d like to thank the folks at FEMA, the Iowa Department of Economic Development Governor Chet Culver and especially, Beth Freeman, the FEMA Regional Administrator of Region VII, for their quick response to our request. This will help us make even more progress in our flood recovery efforts.” For more information about the City of Cedar Rapids Voluntary Property Acquisition process, go to http://www.cedar-rapids.org/community/Buyout%20Program.asp or call (319) 362-3507, extension 210, or (319) 286-5521, extension 210. Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:34:21 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=661 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=661 City to Hold Information Session on March 11 CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – February 17, 2010– On April 5, 2010, the updated flood insurance rate maps of Cedar Rapids, also known as floodplain maps, will change the flood risk category of approximately 1, 900 properties. The City of Cedar Rapids is working with the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to inform residents about how the map change will impact flood insurance premium rates. (Please note that all other properties will remain in the same flood risk category.)“The new floodplain map designates about half of the 1,900 properties in a higher flood risk category and the other half in a lower flood risk flood category,” said Dave Elgin, city engineer and public works director.As of April 5, 2010, properties located in the Special Flood Hazard Area, as designated by the updated flood insurance rate maps, that receive funding from a federally-insured lending institution will be required to purchase flood insurance. Properties that move into a higher flood risk category on the new maps are eligible for grandfathered insurance premium rates if purchased before April 5, 2010. Residents should call 1-888-379-9531 or view www.floodsmart.gov for more information about flood insurance premium rates. Cedar Rapidsresidents are invited to attend an information session on Thursday March 11, any time between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., to review the new official floodplain maps and to speak with FEMA, IDNR and City representatives. The event will be held in the Community Room at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, on the lower level of Westdale Mall, 2600 Edgewood Road SW.Residents are encouraged to study the information displayed at the session. No formal presentation will be provided, but experts will be on hand to answer questions. FEMA published the current flood insurance rate maps for the City of Cedar Rapids in 1982 and issued one revision in 1991. To view the 2010 maps online, go to http://www.cedar-rapids.org/engineering/fema_floodplain.asp. The FEMA Map Modernization program is a national initiative. To learn more about it, visit http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/mm_main.shtm. Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:06:30 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=660 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=660 Three Concepts for Feedback: “Automobile”, “Traditional” or “Green”CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – February 17, 2010– The City of Cedar Rapids invites all residents to weigh in on the future design of our community as it rebuilds from the Flood of 2008. The City is providing three concepts for public review, the “Automobile City”, the “Traditional City” and the “Green City,” at two open houses about Urban Design Principles next week. Residents are invited to stop by any time during the scheduled times: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 CORRECTED TIMES: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Crowne Plaza Five Seasons Hotel Ballroom, 350 First Avenue NEResidents will be asked to examine several display boards and provide feedback on printed forms. Free parking validation will be provided for attendees who park in the Five Seasons parking ramp and bring their date-stamped card into the ballroom.These events are based on feedback received during the Neighborhood Planning Process in 2009, where residents asked the City to review the guidelines it uses for community development.“Urban Design Principles are used by cities to ensure quality design of new community development,” said Lana Baldus, a member of the City Planning Commission. “Good Urban Design Principles encourage quality development, promote sustainability and ensure a transparent, consistent project review process.”These open houses are part of a five-month process to provide information and gather input on developing citywide principles. For more information, visit http://www.cedar-rapids.org/development/hot_topics_design%20principles.asp. Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:05:09 -6 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=650 http://www.corridorrecovery.org/details.asp?ID=650 State Agencies Work to Reform Disaster Assistance at State, National LevelIowa’s recovery from the 2008 floods and tornadoes has led the state to conclude major reforms are needed at the federal level to improve how future disasters are handled. While the Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO) and Iowa’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) continue towork on thestatewide recovery effort, they have also gained input from local, state and federal stakeholders and recovery partners, to create a set of overarching recommended changes to the current federal system.“Reforming recovery in the United States requires a fundamental shift in the approach to and planning for major disasters. While FEMA serves as the federal coordinating agency for a disaster’sresponseeffort, one federal agency or structure does not exist to coordinate arecoveryeffort states can rely on,” said Dave Miller, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division Administrator. “In order to ensure well-coordinated recoveries that maximize the opportunities major disasters present, as well as minimize the long-term negative impacts, a shift in approach is critical.”The state’s overarching recommendation is that the federal government creates a disaster recovery framework with one coordinating body (department), one set of rules and expectations, and funding and programs that are designed with long-term recovery in mind.(See below for Iowa’s recommendations.)“It’s imperative we share Iowa’s story with the rest of the nation,” said RIO Executive Director Lt. General Ron Dardis. “We’ve shared these recommendations with Iowa’s congressional delegation as well as representatives of several federal agencies, including FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, both of whom have visited the state and learned about Iowa’s disaster recovery first-hand. Now, we must call on federal officials to act upon the challenges we’ve encountered.” Iowa first started analyzing its best practices and challenges with multiple stakeholders in May 2009, when it held the Iowa Recovery Analysis Workshop, which was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Integration Centerin partnership with HSEMD and RIO. The purpose of the workshop was to conduct a midcourse analysis of actions and processes in Iowa’s disaster recovery that work best, could be improved, should be continued, and can be shared with other jurisdictions throughout the nation. The workshop also identified potential changes needed in national disaster recovery policy. Now Iowa is taking that information and sharing it with local, state and federal recovery partners, recently participating in the National Disaster Recovery Framework discussion currently being led by FEMA at the President’s request. In October 2009, a regional video teleconference was hosted by FEMA Region VII. Staff from the RIO, HSEMD and other Iowa representatives listened in and shared their thoughts about needed changes at the federal level.On Jan. 6, the RIO and HSEMD, along with multiple local, state and federal agencies participated in a day-long meeting with the National Commission on Children and Disasters, which is based in Washington, D.C. Commission Chairperson Mark Shriver and Commission members Sheila Leslie and David Schonfeld hosted the meetings at the Linn County Health Department in Cedar Rapids. Topics such as school recovery, mental health services, child welfare, child care, disaster case management and long-term community recovery were discussed in a roundtable setting. School superintendents, mental health workers, members of long-term recovery committees and officials working with child care centers and the juvenile justice system, as well as legislators and city officials, took part in the conversations throughout the day. The Commission intends to include its findings from the meetings into the development of a national recovery framework and the Commission’s next report to President Obama and Congress due in October 2010.On Jan. 8, Lt. General Ron Dardis and HSEMD Administrator Dave Miller tookpartin another federal roundtable, hosted by the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. The meeting brought together stakeholders from various disaster-impacted states to gather feedback on the national response framework; state and local capacity, community planning, and technical assistance; nonprofit and private sector capacity; economic and environmental resilience and sustainability; and the review of federal programs. The purpose of this session was to provide the Obama administration and federal agencies ideas on how to improve and reform specific federal programs that are central to long-term disaster recovery. At this meeting, Lt. General Dardis and Administrator Miller presented Iowa’s federal recommendations for improvements to the national recovery framework. The feedback provided at this session will be used to draft recommendations to the Obama Administration, which are due April 2010. More than a dozen staff from the White House, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Homeland Security and FEMA, were in attendance.As another means of feeding into this national conversation, the RIO is also partnering with HUD and Congressman David Loebsack for an Iowa Disaster Recovery Learning Conference to be held Jan. 29 at Kirkwood Center for Continuing Education in Cedar Rapids. The conference will bring together representatives from non-profit organizations, voluntary agencies, faith-based organizations and community foundations active in both Iowa and Gulf Coast recovery. The group will discuss recommended changes to local, state and federal recovery efforts and suggest best practices going forward. HUD plans to use these recommendations as a centerpiece to their work on the National Disaster Recovery Framework.IOWA’S DISASTER RECOVERY RECOMMENDATIONS:1) Provide flexible and predictable disaster-track funding for a set threshold of major disasters.Provide states with up-front (not reimbursement-based) block grant recovery funding immediately following a major disaster.Use a formula that is consistent across all states and disasters based on damages or other program funding.Allow states to set program priorities and parameters, including income limits and other regulations such as lead abatement and the use of volunteer labor.Allow for a global local match requirement that calls on state and local governments to contribute a certain percentage to the overall recovery, not individual programs and projects.2) Allow for a shared, real-time data system for all levels of government.Create a shared database for information and applications from those impacted that is a part of a coordinated system of case management for impacted individuals.Allow impacted individuals to complete one application and sign one privacy waiver that allows all government agencies to access their recovery information.Allow all administering entities to update this database with information to improve the speed and accuracy of programs.Include comprehensive loss verification for each individual that documents all loss so that multiple inspections and other checks are not needed.Include a clear and consistent shared system of checking for duplications of benefit that involves all related agencies and creates common definitions and policies that prevent fraud, while still allowing individuals to receive needed benefits.3) Coordinate damage and needs assessments.Work with states on a common system for damage assessment data collection that is completed in each Presidentially-declared disaster (not abandoned once the declaration is made).Designate one agency to provide clear documentation of a state’s overall losses and an assessment of funding gaps left by recovery programs.4) Provide resources and support for immediate case management. Immediately following the initial response, impacted individuals and businesses desperately need a system that provides them with case management guidance in planning for their long-term recovery. Such a case management system should be organized at the local level, but needs federal support and resources in order to successfully provide assistance.This system should serve as a gateway for recovery assistance, requiring that individuals work with case managers in order to qualify.5) Change the structure of hazard mitigation funding.FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) focuses nearly all resources on states following a major disaster. Focusing more resources on pre-disaster, mitigation work would greatly improve its success.Provide greater resources for planning so that mitigation projects can be prepared before funding is available.Recognize that some elements currently considered mitigation, such as housing buyouts, are really recovery programs. Create a separate mechanism for those projects that allows for quicker approval so that homeowners are able to move on. Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:00:06 -6