Recovery

1
Recovery

• Louie Jambois, E.D. Assn of Metropolitan
  Municipalities
• Disaster Recovery experience
• 1991 Stockton flash flood
• 1992 Chandler/Lake Wilson tornado
• 1993 Big Flood
• 1997 Even Bigger Flood
• 1998 Comfrey/St. Peter tornado
• 2000 Granite Falls tornado
• 2002 Roseau flood
• Limited to natural disasters
• And a piker compared to my partner

2
Disaster recovery programs

• Disaster Recovery Programs 
• Minnesota Disaster Management Handbook
• Minnesota Emergency Management Directors
  Handbook
• Well written, thorough
• But only part of the story

3
Minnesota above average

• When disaster strikes, Minnesota response is
  above average
• Immediate and professional
• Systems are in place
• Extensive experience and know how
• Consistent regardless of scope

4
Recovery assistance

• Recovery assistance is much less certain
• Recovery funds determined by budget conditions
• Recovery funds determined by who else is in the
  same boat
• Small vs. big both in-state and nationally

5
Comprehensive response

• Characteristics of a really comprehensive
  response
• Governor involvement
• High level agency staff
• Governors office participation
• Legislative involvement
• Additional money
• More coordination/gap filling
• More regulatory assistance
• More Agencies -  EDA, DEED, Rural Dev, PFA,
  Corps, MDH, PCA, others
• Assistance with know how

6
Less-than comprehensive recovery

• Characteristics of a less than comprehensive
  recovery
• Smaller disaster scope less damage, less
  widespread
• Bad federal/state financial situation
• Limited media coverage
• Garden variety recovery programs
• Lower level agency staff

7
Local Roles

• Use the press to tell your story might be only
  time theyre sympathetic
• Use public and political sentiment to secure
  assistance
• Keep the political pressure on for rapid action
• Develop and maintain a consistent message
  internal, external
• Citizen Communication/Involvement
• Let citizens know whats going on realistic
  timeframe

8
Local Roles (continued)

• Empower existing staff to do their existing jobs
• Under huge stress
• Will want to do it all
• Empower know how to manage
• Specific program delivery
• Push state and federal folks to reconcile
  conflicting program rules/regulations
• Apply political pressure, if necessary

9
Eye to the future

• Keep an eye on the big picture
• Beware the cumulative effect of multi-layered
  debt
• Long-term recovery does not mean trading existing
  wealth for debt
• Shiny new infrastructure is not necessarily
  indication of long-term sustainability

10
Huh?

• Recovery Handbooks identify several assistance
  programs
• Many are loans requiring repayment
• SBA, MHFA, DEED, PFA
• Others are grants requiring a local match
• Match is general obligation (GO) debt
• Grant percentages apply to eligible costs only

11
How it plays out

• How does it play out?
• Homeowner receives and SBA or MHFA loan
  repayment
• Same homeowner might receive EDA, DEED or SBA
  loan for the business - repayment
• Same homeowner is assessed for local share of new
  infrastructure including sewer system, water
  system, storm sewers, schools, flood control

12
Remember the debt!

• Individual program administrators almost NEVER
  factor in the debt requirements of  other
  assistance providers
• That means you and your know how must do it
• Must be enough money to sustain community
• Churches, charities, youth activities, service
  organizations