June 23, 2011 - Mayor Jim Suttle asked the White House, Nebraska’s Congressional Delegation and Governor Dave Heineman to assist Omaha and surrounding communities needing reimbursements for expenses they have incurred as a result of rising water levels on the Missouri River. “Communities up and down the Missouri are facing the challenge of limited cash flows in a tough economy to pay for costs associated with flood prevention and damage control,” said Mayor Suttle. “We are asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to work with our communities so these emergency expenses do not impose undue financial burdens on our already fragile local budgets, or on our taxpayers.”
Governor Dave Heineman submitted a disaster declaration to FEMA last Friday on behalf of the communities in Nebraska impacted by flooding, including Omaha. On Friday, Mayor Suttle led the Governor and Congressman Lee Terry, on a tour of Eppley Airfield as well as the 13 miles of levee on the Omaha side of the Missouri river and the nearby sewer treatment facilities. Mayor Suttle has also invited Nebraska’s United States Senator’s Ben Nelson and Mike Johanns to also inspect the 13 mile levee system.
Currently, FEMA may take months or years to process and reimburse communities for expenses filed under a disaster declaration, particularly if the incident is ongoing. After speaking with the White House and Nebraska’s state and federal officials, Mayor Suttle is asking the President to direct FEMA to make monthly reimbursements to local governments in our area.
