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State Representative John Ward
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4333
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Rep. Ward Votes for Disaster Relief for Crow Wing County
(ST. PAUL) — Today, the Minnesota Legislature voted to pass $180 million in disaster relief for the areas affected by flooding and windstorm damage earlier this summer. State Representative John Ward (DFL – Brainerd) voted for the disaster relief legislation. Crow Wing County was included in the initial disaster declaration by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and was included in the state disaster relief.
“When Minnesotans are affected by natural disasters we come together and answered the call to help get Minnesotans back on their feet,” said Rep. Ward. “Thankfully, that’s what did again today. I’m grateful to everyone from both sides of the aisle who worked so hard to put this together and shepherd it through the process.”
Minnesota was denied individual assistance from FEMA, but the disaster relief bill contains state individual assistance opportunities. Homeowners will have access to $12.2 million in loans through the Housing Finance Agency's Challenge Program and businesses have access to $15 million in loans (including forgivable loans) through the Minnesota Investment Fund, administered by the Department of Employment and Economic Development and local units of government.
“While this is not as ideal as FEMA individual assistance would have been, this is positive news,” added Rep. Ward. “We certainly won’t be able to make everyone whole, but hopefully this can help people pick up the pieces, and help them get essentials like furnaces and hot water heaters as colder weather approaches. I will continue working closely with state and local government officials to ensure that this process is run as smoothly and efficiently as possible.”
In addition, the bill contains funding for the Cuyuna State Recreational Area to repair trail damage.
“Our mountain biking trails were absolutely devastated by the flooding,” said Rep. Ward. “I’m very pleased that we were able to include a small amount of bonding money to repair our trails. These trails are incredibly popular and repairing them is important for our tourism activity, economic development, and jobs in our area.”
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