Robert Nelson, Mower County’s emergency preparedness director, said he is pleased with President Clinton’s disaster declaration in Minnesota.

Wednesday, June 28, 2000

Robert Nelson, Mower County’s emergency preparedness director, said he is pleased with President Clinton’s disaster declaration in Minnesota.

"I don’t think if Mower County by itself had sought disaster assistance, we would have gotten it," Nelson said, "but because the storms were so wide-ranging in the area and we went together with the other counties, we were fortunate."

Clinton declared seven counties in southeast Minnesota a major disaster area on Tuesday and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts.

The severe rain storms began May 17 and continued into late May and early June.

The deluges inundated the southeast corner of Minnesota, causing flash flooding.

Roads and bridges were washed out and homes damaged by the high waters.

The Mower County Board of Commissioners, Gov. Jesse Ventura and Congressman Gil Gutknecht also endorsed the disaster declaration.

With the president’s declaration, federal funding will be made available to Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower and Winona counties.

According to Nelson, the federal funding will be available to eligible local governments only on a cost-sharing basis for the repair or replacement of public facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding.

The federal funding will also be available on a cost share basis for hazard mitigation measures.

Nelson said the next steps will be a series of meetings held in the counties by Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives to explain the procedures for local governments to collect money.

Mower County’s estimated damages exceeded $600,000 and the seven counties’ damages were near an estimated $6 million.

Nelson, a former long-time Austin police chief, reminded all that the federal aid will be backed up by state and local monies and be made available only for the public sector.

"There were a lot of people with water in their basements and other damages to private property that won’t get any of this help," he said.