Lt.

Thursday, May 03, 2001

Lt. Governor Mae Schunk said she gasped at the extent of damage when she flew over Glenville Wednesday.

&uot;I can only imagine how painful it is for the people of Glenville to see this happen to their Main Street,&uot; Schunk said.

Along with Sen. Grace Schwab and Rep. Dan Dorman, Schunk and her contingent arrived in State Patrol helicopters Wednesday afternoon to address the Glenville community.

Schunk said she was relieved that no one was killed by the tornado that swept through the town Tuesday night.

&uot;We can always repair our buildings and homes,&uot; she said.

As a personal representative of Gov. Jesse Ventura, Schunk said the state will not forget the tragedy of the Glenville tornado.

&uot;We want you to feel like you can call on us in the governor’s office for support,&uot; she said.

Schwab, R-Albert Lea, said the Minnesota Senate passed a $1.3 million provision as part of a capital bonding bill that pledges funds to the town of Glenville for recovery. The money is to compensate for costs not covered by Federal Emergency Disaster Assistance money and private insurance.

&uot;I’ll fight like the dickens to make sure we have the dollars to deal with this tragedy and rebuild Glenville,&uot; Schwab told the gathering at the high school.

Schwab, who had to fly back to St. Paul for a crucial vote, said the Senate reached a rare consensus when deciding to help the people of Glenville.

&uot;The people here are first and foremost in my mind right now, and I think my colleagues agreed how important it was to show some immediate support,&uot; Schwab said.

Dorman, R-Albert Lea, said it was important to visit with residents, letting them know their plight will not be ignored in St. Paul.

&uot;I want to demonstrate the support of the legislature,&uot; he said. &uot;There are a lot of federal dollars out there with state matches that we can try to secure for the town.&uot;

Dorman said the House will take a closer look at assisting Glenville once the final damage assessment are filed.

&uot;There is a process to this, even though that’s hard for people to hear right now,&uot; Dorman said. &uot;I’ll do whatever I can to make it faster and easier for Glenville to recover.&uot;

&uot;It’s just unbelievable what has happened here,&uot; Schwab said. &uot;I’m so impressed with the courage of these families and this town.&uot;