News about the Flood In Southeast Kansas

Since the harrowing and heroic events of the July flood our community has made great progress in many areas. So in the spirit of recovery and innovation I and a small group of community leaders have started a new blog for the whole of Coffeyville and the surrounding area.

http:\\www.bricktownblog.com

The flood blog will soon forward directly to the new community blog. I hope you all like the new forum.

Sincerely,

Tony Wood

Founder CoffeyvilleFlood.com

The State Finance Council met this morning and approved $5 million in state aid to help flood-damaged businesses in Southeast Kansas to rebuild and recover. The funds will come from a disaster emergency fund that was established after the Greensburg tornado.

As many businesses in the flood-damaged areas have discovered, the recovery assistance available under current law is very limited. Other than low-interest SBA loans, there is little assistance readily available on the federal side.

That’s why the state decided to step in and target business assistance in this first wave of new help to the affected areas. As business owners make decisions about rebuilding over the next few months, we want to encourage as much as possible that they do in fact reopen and stay in their home communities.

The new business assistance package is modeled on a program the full legislature established to help Greensburg businesses after the tornado. To date, 56 businesses in Greensburg have been approved to help under the program.

The new assistance is in three areas:

Investment assistance: The state will cover up to 10 percent of the cost of replacing capital equipment that was damaged or destroyed by the floods.

Rental assistance: The state will help pay the cost of renting temporary facilities for a business to operate from while their primary business location is restored after flood damage.

Job restoration assistance: The state will pay up to $3,500 for each employee whose job was lost as a result of flooding but whose job is restored as a result of business reinvestment.

The Kansas Department of Revenue will administer the new program. Information about how the program and how to apply for help will be made available in the coming days at www.ksrevenue.org, and interested businesses should keep an eye on the department’s website. In addition, the Department plans to schedule meetings in flood-damaged communities to explain in person to damaged businesses how this new relief will work.

This is the first of several long-term recovery actions that will be put in place. I anticipate the next steps will involve housing assistance, both in the short term and to address the long-term housing shortage in Southeast Kansas.

In addition, Congressman Tiahrt advised me earlier this week that he plans to introduce a disaster-relief bill in Congress that will include several tax-relief measures to help flood-damaged businesses to recover costs of rebuilding. If you are in that situation, you may want to be on contact with Congressman Tiahrt’s office.

I’ll keep you posted on the state’s actions as best I can.

Derek Schmidt

Kansas State Senator

P.O. Box 747

Independence, KS 67301

www.DerekSchmidt.com

Building permits are required for both commercial and residential properties prior to any remodels, repairs or restorations in the Coffeyville flood affected area.  The building permit fees will be waived for all flood related projects in this area.  Before any business or residence in the flood areas can be occupied, a certificate of occupancy permit must be obtained.  The fees for this are also waived. 

Both building permits and occupancy permits are available from the Inspections Department located in the Fire Department at 7^th and Walnut.  For more information, contact 620-252-6149.

If you or someone you know were in the flood affected area and you need help with removing appliances or debris or help cleaning please call 620-251-0981.We have volunteers ready to go to work to help with the clean up process.

If you would like to volunteer to help with the clean-up process call Joe at

620-252-6030 or go up to Veterans Memorial Stadium at 1610 Veterans Drive.

To volunteer to help with phone banks call Jana at 620-252-5521.

There are many areas to help out!!!

Some of the animals rescued from the recent flood will be available for adoption this Thursday, July 26.  If you are interested please drop by the old Whittier Elementary School (200 Walnut Street) at the corner of Union and Walnut in Coffeyville to see the available animals.  They have some really cute pups, dogs, kittens and mature cats.  Please help if you can.  If you can’t adopt, please notify anyone you think would be interested.  Maybe we can get some of these animals in a good homes.Carol Phillips,

Health Care Associates of Southeast Kansas
Barry Phillips, ARNP, N.P.-C

Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice will be sponsoring a free seminar, open to the public, for Southeast Kansas flood victims and volunteers.

Press Release:  July 19, 2007 – Volunteers Needed to Assist With Flood Recovery

Location: Coffeyville, Kansas
Authority: Cindy Price – PIO
Contact:  cprice@coffeyville.com

Volunteers are needed in Coffeyville to assist with flood recovery.  Those interested in assisting residents with debris removal should call 620-252-6030 to volunteer.  Masks and gloves will be provided for volunteers.  Assistance is also needed with passing out water and ice and answering phones.  To volunteer for these duties or for more information, call 620-252-5521.

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

CITY OF COFFEYVILLE – COFFEYVILLE RESOURCES

RESIDENCE PURCHASE PROGRAM

The City of Coffeyville and Coffeyville Resources Refining & Marketing, LLC today announce a Residential Purchase Program.

Under the Program, Coffeyville Resources will offer to purchase those residential properties in Coffeyville that are most affected by the flood and subsequent oil spill. The Program will be voluntary on the part of homeowners, who will be given the option to sell their residential property at a price that is calculated on the property’s market value prior to the flood.  Under the Program, it is expected that Coffeyville Resources will offer to purchase approximately 300 residences.

Both the City of Coffeyville and Coffeyville Resources Refining  & Marketing, LLC believe this program will speed recovery efforts within this flood-affected area and will help families reestablish their lives.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM,

CALL: 1-800-958-5380

An announcement will be made early next week that will show the residential area of Coffeyville which qualifies for the Program and provide further details on the purchase price mechanism which will be used.

Press Release:  Assistance for Cleaning Out Houses
Date:  July 18, 2007
Location: Coffeyville, Kansas
Authority: Cindy Price – PIO

Assistance is available for elderly and handicapped residents living in the flood areas who are unable to clean out their homes.  To receive volunteer assistance, residents should call 620-251-0981 or 620-332-2537.  Volunteers will be assigned to residents needing assistance to remove debris from the homes.

Property owners in the flood area are responsible for removing debris from all structures.  The debris is to be taken to the curb, and no oil is to be washed off debris.  Household hazardous waste and appliances should be separated from the other debris.

Structural assessments have not been done on buildings in the flood area, however, once the assessments are completed, property owners will be responsible for the demolition of any structure which needs to be razed.  The City of Coffeyville has no plans for demolition of any structure in the flooded area.

Following the flood, structures were inspected and placards placed on each structure with an advisement for occupancy.  A red placard stating “do not enter, do not occupy” means the structure is not safe to enter due to significant structural damage.  The majority of the houses in the flood area received a red placard stating “enter at your own risk; do not occupy.”  This placard means the structure may not be safe to enter due to serious structural damage.

An orange placard reads “limited entry,” and means enter at your own risk, do not occupy.  The yellow placard means the house is habitable, however, repairs are required; and a green placard means the residence is safe for occupancy.  These placards are advisements only based on an emergency assessment survey.

Coffeyville Community Night of Prayer

Sponsored by the Coffeyville Ministerial Alliance

Friday, July 20, 2007, 7:00-8:00 pm

Roosevelt Middle School
Coffeyville, Kansas

Speaker: Bishop J. D. Wiley
Senior Pastor, Life Center Cathedral
New Orleans, Louisiana

Special Music: Men’s Quartet
and Teresa Ledford

John Collins, President

Coffeyville Ministerial Alliance