Disaster bill includes relief for Freeborn County

By Albert Lea Tribune and Associated Press

ST. PAUL — Minnesota lawmakers have given final approval to a $17 million package of disaster assistance that will help local governments — including those in Freeborn County — pay remaining bills from June storms that hit the state hard.

The House voted 132-0 on Monday for a bill already passed by the Senate. Gov. Mark Dayton is supportive.

Forty-seven counties and three tribal reservations sustained serious damage after torrential rains last summer. Most but not all qualified for federal assistance.

“I’m proud that the Legislature continued its tradition of coming together to support disaster relief efforts on a bipartisan basis,” said District 27A Rep. Peggy Bennett. “This bill provides necessary funding for cities and counties, and does it in a fiscally responsible way by using mostly unspent money from previous disaster relief bills.”

Bennett, R-Albert Lea, called it a “common-sense solution” that will help dozens of counties across the state, including Freeborn, Mower, Dodge, Steele and Faribault counties.

The bill contains only about $2.2 million in new funding because some unused money from previous disaster recoveries was shifted over.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide $13 million as a part of their matching funds for disaster relief.

Republican Rep. Jim Knoblach of St. Cloud estimated there was $74 million in federal and state disaster assistance connected to the flooding. Some of it was for repairing structures and a chunk is to fix washed out roads.

The bill was passed last week by the Senate and now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature.