As part of the ongoing recovery efforts following the Aug. 10, 2020 derecho, the City of Marion is asking for assistance from residents and businesses who donated money, materials or time in the aftermath of the storm as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement process.
For disasters such as this, FEMA covers 75 percent of the costs, the State of Iowa provides 10 percent of the costs and the City of Marion is required to cover the remaining 15 percent. The value of personal donations of time, money or materials to support community recovery can be counted toward the City’s 15 percent of the costs and will minimize impacts to the City’s annual operating budget.
“We are blessed that this community came together to help one another in the days and weeks after the storm,” said Deb Krebill, Marion Fire Chief and Incident Commander of the Derecho Response Team.
“As we work through the reimbursement process, we now need residents and businesses to recall how they contributed to the clean-up and recovery effort and submit the details as part of the local match,” Krebill added. “If you hauled your own debris to the reduction site, donated supplies or cleaned up the street/sidewalks in your neighborhood or other parts of town, we want to hear from you.”
Two forms (one for residents and one for businesses) have been added to the City’s website at www.cityofmarion.org/StormResponse and will serve as a central repository. Paper copies are available at the Marion Public Library Uptown location at 1064 7th Avenue or the Technology Station at 5650 Kacena Avenue.
Residents and businesses are asked to document any contributions that benefited others or assisted with the clean-up in Marion such as:
- the amount of time spent helping others with debris clean-up in Marion
- the amount of time spent volunteering at food distribution sites in Marion
- the approximate value of donated materials such as food, water, meals, or building supplies
- the amount of debris/number of trips hauled with personal vehicles to the debris collection site on 44th Street
- any financial contributions to support community recovery efforts
The data gathered will only be used to support the City’s FEMA claim. The information is asked to be submitted between now and Feb. 28, 2021.