Flood Disaster Legislative AmendmentMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Flood Disaster Legislative Amendment
DATE: April 12, 2012
Dubuque
bierd
All-America City
1
2007
Assistant City Manager Teri Goodmann recommends City Council approval of a
contract with David Adelman of Cornerstone in the amount of $7,500 to assist City staff
in amending House File 2465 to provide eligibility for the City of Dubuque's Bee Branch
project for State of Iowa Flood Disaster money.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen
FROM: Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Flood Disaster Legislative Amendment
DATE: April 12, 2012
Introduction
Dubuque
bierd
All-America City
1
2007
The City of Dubuque has been and continues to be very aggressive in identifying
funding opportunities that will reduce the cost of the Bee Branch flood mitigation project.
Discussion
The Iowa House and Senate recently passed Senate File 2217 which will be signed by
the Governor. This legislation is known as the Flood Disaster bill and creates a
competitive grant fund of $30 million. Language in the bill allows Iowa cities to compete
annually for grants to address flood disaster mitigation projects. An individual city can
secure up to $15 million annually for flood mitigation projects. The legislation provides
$30 million annually for ten years for this fund.
In spite of assurances by legislative sponsors that eighty six of Iowa's ninety nine
counties would be eligible to compete for this funding, language in the bill could be
interpreted as restricting eligibility to cities that have 20% matching federal funds from
only two sources.
Senate File 2217 limits eligibility to cities that have secured federal funding from either a
water resource development authorization (WRDA) or hazard mitigation funds (FEMA).
Under this bill, other federal funds might not qualify a disaster mitigation project for
eligibility to compete for state flood disaster aid. Federal funds secured to date by the
City of Dubuque for the Bee Branch project originate at the Environmental Protection
Agency.
City staff is working to amend this important legislation through House File 2465 to allow
for other sources of federal funding; thereby qualifying the Bee Branch project to
compete for State disaster funding.
Due to the significance of a successful outcome and the need for constant presence at
the Capitol, City staff has been working with David Adelman of Cornerstone, a
government consulting firm specializing in local government at the Iowa State Capitol.
David has agreed to monitor and advocate for Dubuque for the duration of the
legislative session for a total cost of $7,500.
Recommendation
I respectfully request approval of a contract with David Adelman of the Cornerstone
consulting firm to assist City staff in amending House File 2465 to ensure eligibility for
the City of Dubuque's Bee Branch project. These funds can come from the unspent
salary of City Management Intern Phyllis Russell who was hired by the City of Virginia
Beach, VA leaving a balance of $25,714.
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