(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch
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Reynolds renews request for disaster declaration [1]
['Jay Waagmeester', 'More From Author', '- June']
Date: 2023-06
More than three weeks have passed since a downtown Davenport building collapsed. Since then, people have been rescued from the building, died in the building, and crews have begun clearing the site where the more-than-a-century-old building once stood.
So far, though, a federal disaster declaration has yet to be issued.
For the second time in the past three weeks, Gov. Kim Reynolds has requested federal financial assistance from President Joe Biden.
The first letter to the White House, which Iowa’s delegates added their names to, was sent June 6, and asked for federal aid at an estimated cost of $5 million to $6 million.
Assistance from federal agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can only be authorized by a disaster declaration from Biden. The first request from Reynolds has not generated a formal response.
“To date, I have not received a formal determination as to the status of that request,” Reynolds’ most recent letter stated.
Reynolds, who boasted a government surplus in September, says the building collapse is “of such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capability of the state and the affected local governments.”
Reynolds’ letter cites the multiple non-profits that have stepped up to assist, and noted that some expenses still remain.
Costs associated with the building collapse include debris removal, demolition, response activities, emergency protective measures and direct federal assistance for Scott County, according to Reynolds’ second request.
The city has hired companies to manage the demolition, which includes addressing the possible presence of asbestos in the building. On June 1, Tom Warner, city attorney for Davenport, addressing calls to hold the building’s owner accountable by assessing a fine for failure to maintain safe conditions, suggested the costs associated with demolition may be passed on to the owner.
“When we bring that building down it’s going to be costly,” Warner said. “The last thing we want is that owner to transfer that property and avoid that demolition lien.”
What has changed since the first request?
The Davenport City Council will hold a public hearing Wednesday to gather input on a $3 million increase to its fiscal year 2023 budget.
Public input was requested on an amendment to the city’s operating budget “to incorporate additional and unanticipated expenditures into the FY 2023 operating budget.” A notice for the meeting states the amendment is needed for “previously unanticipated costs related to the 324 Main Street partial building collapse.”
A city document shows the requests are for $500,000 in additional spending related to “public safety” and $2.5 million for “general government.”
Demolition on the building resumed Wednesday after it was halted by a judge on Friday to allow further examination of the site to determine the cause of the collapse.
The Small Business Administration granted a request from Reynolds on June 9, providing low-interest disaster loans to renters, homeowners, businesses and nonprofits in Scott County affected by the collapse. The loans are also available to people in Cedar, Clinton and Muscatine counties whose property was destroyed due to the collapse. The same people are also eligible to apply for economic injury disaster loans.
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