Well-known, local artist John Heidersbach created many posters for the Cedar Trails Festival over the years. His work is featured in this special exhibit.

FEMA has hired several data collection teams to canvass the flood damaged areas in Cedar Falls. The data collection teams are from a private firm subcontracted by FEMA to evaluate structural damages to individual homes. Businesses will not be evaluated.

It is expected that the data collection process will take place from July 18 through July 25.

The data collection teams will be wearing identification and have a letter from Martin Ryan, City Planner for the City of Cedar Falls, explaining the purpose of the inspections. The information gathered by the data collection teams will provide the City with valuable information regarding the level of damage and number of homes substantially damaged by the recent flood.

Residents who have been affected by the flooding with sand point wells may go to Fire Station #2, 722 Lone Tree Road, Cedar Falls to fill their own containers with safe water. The water available at the Fire Station #2 is safe for drinking, cooking and cleaning.

Normal burning regulations are now in effect for all of Cedar Falls. The regulations may be viewed at www.cedarfalls.com by viewing the Fire Department web page links.

Citizens are reminded that the burning of flood debris, building materials, furniture, trash or hazardous substances is illegal and unsafe.

Recreational fires or the burning of small sticks and twigs in accordance with the regulations may resume.

Citizens are advised that the Fire Department cannot use flooded buildings for training fires, and fires cannot be used in these areas to demolish a building. This may produce an unsafe environment in the surrounding areas, or possibly spread beyond the target structure.

Water test kits are available at the Black Hawk County Department of Public Health, Pinecrest building, 1407 Independence Ave, Waterloo. Those affected by the flood may also call 291-2413 for details.

The City of Cedar Falls needs to accurately account for the thousands of volunteer hours that were so generously provided to help the city during the epic flooding of June 2008.

Volunteers are asked to please contact city hall by email at 2008Flood@cedarfalls.com or by phone at 319-243-2702. The phone line will be a recorded voice message capable of receiving information 24 hours per day.

Volunteers should provide the following information for their volunteer work: name, date(s), total number of hours, description of duties and location of the work that was performed.

The City of Cedar Falls will hold a series of informational open houses at North Cedar Elementary School, 2419 Fern Street, on the following dates:

Thursday, July 10
Tuesday, July 15
Thursday, July 17
Tuesday, July 22
Thursday, July 24 (tentative)

These sessions will be held in the gymnasium from 3-6 pm on each of the above dates. City staff from the Planning, Engineering, Building Inspection, and Property Acquisition offices will be available to provide information and answer questions, on an individual basis, regarding flood recovery, repair and rebuilding of damaged homes, and flood buyouts, including removal or repair of mobile homes.

The public is urged to stay off the bike trails located north of 1st Street and west of Center Street. Please use the link to the Cedar Trails Partnership for a map showing the status of metro area trails and the Cedar Valley Nature Trail that stretches to Cedar Rapids. The map is updated weekly. [Cedar Trails Partnership...]

Please select the Flood Information link below, under the Services section of the City's web site, or www.cedarfalls.com/flood for all flood-related information. [www.cedarfalls.com/flood]

In order to obtain a permit on flood damaged properties, the owner or contractor will have to fill out a form supplied by the city that will state the total cost to restore the property. On this form they will need to list the cost of the following: building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical. This form will be reviewed by Planning and Zoning for floodplain compliance.

The policy is as follows:

Properties that are in the floodway that sustain less than 50% damage of the assessed value will be able to rebuild at the same location. If they sustain more than 50% damage of the assessed value, no permits will be issued.

Properties that are in the floodplain (floodway fringe) that sustain less than 50% damage of the assessed value will be able to rebuild at the same location.

If they sustain more than 50% damage of the assessed value of the structure, the structure and all plumbing, mechanical and electrical equipment will be required to be elevated to the 100-year flood protection level.

[Application for Flood Repair Permit...]

Shepherd's Closet has opened a warehouse at Holdiman Motors, 4325 University Ave., with furniture, clothes, household items, toiletries and personal items for those affected by the recent flood. The warehouse is open by appointment. Please call Becky King at Shepherd's Closet, 319-404-8475 for an appointment. Shepherd's Closet is also accepting donations of furniture, appliances and other household items in good condition. Volunteers are also needed to staff the warehouse.

A coalition of local social service agencies has been formed to provide a range of services to flood victims within Black Hawk County. For detailed information, phone 272-2244.

Assistance with Flood Clean up: People needing assistance with flood clean up are urged to contact Samaritan’s Purse, by calling Prairie Lakes Church at 266-2655. They will get your contact information and specific assistance requested. Anyone wanting to assist with clean up is urged to call this same number for details.

The Cedar Falls Recycling Center is open as repairs from the flood damage are now completed. The Recycling Center is open Monday through Friday from 7 am to 7 pm and on Saturday from 8 am to 3 pm.

Kits are available for the testing of private wells that were impacted by recent flooding. Please select the Additional info link for details. [Additional info...]

The Cedar Falls Civic Foundation’s President, Robert Beach, has announced that, at the request of Cedar Falls’ Mayor Jon Crews, the Foundation has established an account entitled: Cedar Falls Flood Relief Contributions.

Contributions may be mailed or delivered to the Cedar Falls City Hall, 220 Clay Street, or to the Civic Foundation’s office located at the Cedar Falls Public Library, 524 Main Street. If you have any questions or comments about the Flood Relief project, call Mayor Crews or Audrey Stefan at the Mayor’s Office, 273-8600.

The Cedar Falls Civic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, and donations will be tax deductible. The Cedar Falls Civic Foundation’s Executive Committee and a Flood Relief Advisory Committee, appointed by Mayor Crews, will set up guidelines and be in charge of disbursements for the account.

Emergency Operations Center
319-243-2700

6/19/08 12:15 pm

Price Gouging Rule : Attorney General Tom Miller has announced that the State’s anti-price-gouging rule is in effect in counties where disaster declarations have been issued in the wake of tornadoes, storms or floods. Price-gouging is the practice of taking advantage of disaster victims by substantially raising the prices for needed goods or services without justifications.

Complaints about possible price-gouging should be directed to the Attorney General’s Office – toll-free at 888-777-4590. On the Web: www.IowaAttorneyGeneral.org.

Assistance with Flood Clean up: People needing assistance with flood clean up are urged to contact Samaritan’s Purse, by calling Prairie Lakes Church at 266-2655. They will get your contact information and specific assistance requested. Anyone wanting to assist with clean up are urged to call this same number for details.

All other announcements from June 18 are still applicable as follows:

Debris Removal for those affected by the flooding: Residents affected by the recent flooding should bring their debris to the curb for removal.

Residents must place their debris on the curb in four separate piles as follows:

Household hazardous materials
Appliances
Large bulk materials (such as carpet, furniture) and bagged debris
Yard waste

Debris that is building materials, drywall, wood etc. may be left on the curb.
Smaller, loose material cannot be picked up so residents are asked to please place all debris in bags, boxes or containers.

Emergency Operations Center
319-243-2700

6/19/08 11:30 am

Housing Assistance Survey: The City of Cedar Falls is currently trying to determine housing needs for people affected by the flooding. We do not know what will be available. It would be helpful to know exactly what the needs are as we work to figure out what can be done to provide temporary housing. [ Housing Assistance Survey...]

Residents who are recovering from the flood event are urged to beware of fraud. Please take the following precautions:

· Ask for ID.
· Safeguard personal information.
· Under no circumstances are FEMA representatives allowed to accept money.
· FEMA inspectors verify damage, but do not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs.

Emergency Operations Center
319-243-2700

6/13/08 6:45 p.m.

People with sand point wells must not drink the water until it has been tested by the Black Hawk County Health Department. Please contact the Black Hawk County Health Department at 291-2413 for testing details.

6/13/08 1:45 p.m.

The City of Cedar Falls advises all those affected by the flooding to take notice of the proper procedures for preventing or minimizing disease exposure when working in contaminated flood waters. Flood environments present many health and safety challenges for rescue workers, emergency responders and clean-up crews.

Please take notice of the specific guidelines listed in the following OSHA Fact Sheet.
[OSHA Hygiene Procedures]

The City of Cedar Falls has issued the following urgent announcements in light of the flooding:

A Presidential Disaster has been declared. People may call FEMA for assistance at 1-800-621-3362.
People with Gas and Electric Emergencies are directed to call 277-8119.

The City recently created a blog to communicate informally with citizens regarding city issues. The Mayor will post to the blog as topics arise that require additional information. Citizens should feel free to leave comments regarding specific articles posted to the blog. While these comments will not be publicly displayed, they will be received by the Mayor for his review. [Mayor's Blog...]

Traffic preemption devices are signaling devices designed to give emergency response vehicles a green light on their approach to signalized intersections. Emergency vehicles have a preemption light installed in the light bar that flashes to the front of the vehicle. This light flashes a pattern that the traffic signal at the approaching intersection recognizes. The traffic signal then cycles the lights so the approaching emergency vehicle receives a green light. This tool has resulted in lower response times and improved safety. In a study conducted by Fairfax County, Virginia, the devices saved 30-45 seconds per intersection at busy intersections and in Plano, Texas emergency vehicle crashes were reduced from 2.3 per year to less than one every five years.

Although Cedar Falls is not as large as these metropolitan areas, fewer accidents and a reduction in response time are important. Medical aid to a person suffering a heart attack or a severe injury can vary significantly if response time is reduced by 1-2 minutes. Cedar Falls Police respond to over 29,000 calls a year and the Fire Department responds to nearly 2,000 calls each year. Most of the police and fire vehicles are already equipped with the signaling devices and local ambulances are also installing them.

The City is in the process of installing preemption devices at many of the busier intersections including University Avenue, Main Street, and certain intersections on Highway 58, Waterloo Road and 18th Street. The installed devices will be operational by this summer and additional intersections will continue to be added.

Readers of the Seattle Times may take time to make a virtual visit to Cedar Falls, IA. If they do, they will find the answers to why Microsoft and other high tech business should locate in Cedar Falls, "A Great Place To Call Home." Iowa lawmakers recently passed a bill exempting Microsoft and other web portal businesses from state sales tax for six years. Local NBC affiliate, KWWL, highlighted the efforts to attract high tech businesses in a news story (best viewed with Windows Media Player) that aired February 21st.

Please visit answercf.com for the questions.

Cedar Falls is the Place

Cedar Falls Fire Rescue has recently received several smoke detectors designed for persons with hearing disabilities. Firefighters are excited to provide this service to this community. If you have a hearing disability or know of someone with a hearing disability, please contact Cedar Falls Fire Rescue at 273-8622. There are a limited amount of these detectors available.