A statement issued yesterday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Rice County is one of 19 counties to which the organization, which is the US Government’s disaster relief arm, has been authorized to provide assistance to individuals, property owners and businesses to help recover from losses suffered during the floods that occurred last month.
This approval will help provide resources for crisis counseling, unemployment assistance, legal services, case management, and recovery expenses. Individual assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by a disaster, the statement said, but is an important step in moving toward recovery.
The Emergency Management Division of the Rice County Sheriff’s Department, in partnership with Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management, is helping FEMA to establish a disaster recovery center in Rice County that will offer assistance in navigating the process. According to the statement, more information on this and other centers will be forthcoming.
In the meantime, individuals in Rice County are encouraged to fill out an application online or view the status of an existing claim at secure.login.gov. Individuals may also call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Specialists are available seven days a week from 6am to 11pm CDT.
Additionally, according to the statement, up to $500 in additional disaster relief is available for veterans through the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.
To apply, contact Rice County Veteran Services Officer Tracy McBroom at tracy.mcbroom@ricecountymn.gov or 1-507-332-6117.
Finally, the statement cautioned people to make sure that, when they apply and are going through the process, they should verify that they are working with an actual FEMA Representative. Ask the inspector to show their identification badge. Federal and contracted employees always wear an official government badge to identify themselves. Authentic FEMA Agents will never ask for money, banking information or the nine digit id number on an aid application, nor will a FEMA Agent reach out to anyone who has not applied for aid.
Those who receive a letter from FEMA but did not apply for help should call the FEMA Helpline.
Those who believe they are the victim of a contracting scam, price gouging or other fraudulent activity, should contact the Northfield Police Department, or their local law enforcement agency.
Four candidates file for school board
The filing period to become a candidate for the Northfield School Board opened yesterday, and four candidates, two incumbents and two newcomers, submitted their affidavits for election right away.
Claudia Gonzalez George, the School Board Chair, and Corey Butler, the School Board Vice-Chair, along with two newcomers looking to win a seat on the board, Maggie Epstien and Tristan Cox, have all filed affidavits of candidacy and will be on the ballot in November.
Members of the school board are elected differently in Northfield than in other local elections. Rather than two people vying for one position on the board, the candidates are grouped together and those who receive the highest vote totals are seated on the board.
This year, there are four total seats up for election, so the four candidates with the most votes will serve four-year terms on the board beginning in 2025.
The four seats up for election this year are currently occupied by Gonzalez George and Butler, along with Board Clerk Amy Goerwitz, and Noel Stratmoen. All of the filing information is available on the school district website at northfieldschools.org, candidates may register at the school district office.
Meanwhile, school board candidates will not be the only matter local voters will be asked to address on the ballot this November. The school district has also placed a referendum on the ballot, asking the community to approve a massive renovation and remodel of Northfield high School. The referendum will ask voters for permission to issue bonds in order to build a three-story classroom structure, demolish ineffective sections of the building, vastly expand the gymnasium facilities, and build a geothermal system to heat and cool the building.
The district has been offering educational seminars for the past several months, and Northfield Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann said another tour of the high school that will allow voters to see and feel the issues with the current building firsthand, will be offered on August 10th from 10am-noon. Representatives of the district will also be at the Patchouli and Terra Guitarra concert in Way Park this evening to talk about the referendum and answer any questions.
Hillmann said the educational campaign is in place to give voters the information they need to make an informed decision.
“We just want people to be informed. Our job is to make sure that the community knows about the referendum, that they know what the positive impact would be should it pass, and that they know what the potential impact for the district and for the community would be should it not pass. At the end of the day in a democracy, the people get to choose. So, on November 5th, the people will give us our direction as to what we’ll do with Northfield High School.”
The school board candidate filing period will be open until August 13th. Election Day is November 5th.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Dr. Matt Hillmann can be heard here
KYMN Daily News 7/31/24
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
