State needs to help in flood recovery, Pawlenty tells legislators

03/20/2007

Associated Press | Last update: March 19, 2007


In a letter to legislators Monday, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the city of Browns Valley, Minn., is unlikely to receive federal aid for damage caused by flooding last week and asked the Legislature to find ways in which the state could help.

"I trust you will be willing to work with my administration to help Browns Valley recover from this event," Pawlenty wrote.

About 140 homes were damaged, 50 of them significantly, when ice jams caused the Little Minnesota River to overflow last week. About 100 people were forced from their homes as the water rose quickly.

In his letter, addressed to House and Senate leadership with copies sent to all legislators, Pawlenty wrote that Browns Valley students who were displaced by the flood may not be able to attend classes. As a result, the school district is asking that the state per-pupil funding remain at preflood enrollment levels for two years.

The city of Browns Valley requested that the Legislature consider an appropriation to reimburse it for expenses relating to debris removal and emergency response. The city also requested that its current level of local government aid not be reduced.

Pawlenty also suggested other possible options, such as low-interest or no-interest loans to homeowners, direct monetary assistance to home-owners or buyout offers for residents in the flood plain.

Pawlenty's letter also noted that a representative from the Department of Employment and Economic Development would be in Browns Valley today to assess the situation. The department would probably need a special appropriation from the Legislature to provide substantial financial assistance, Pawlenty wrote.