Capitol Notebook: Reynolds waives fees, suspends regulations for Iowa flood victims

Volunteer Tyron Berkenpas, an employee of Maintenance Corporation in Sheldon, removes a bag of flood-damaged items from the basement of a home in Spencer on Tuesday. Spencer, with a population of about 11,400, is recovering after the Little Sioux River flooded much of the city last weekend. Authorities say the flooding affected about 40 percent of properties in the city. (Tim Hynds/Sioux City Journal via AP) — Volunteer Tyron Berkenpas, an employee at the Maintenance Corporation in Sheldon, removes a bag of flood-damaged items from the basement of a home in Spencer on Tuesday. Spencer, population about 11,400, is recovering after the Little Sioux River flooded much of the city last weekend. Officials say about 40 percent of the city’s properties were affected by flooding. (Tim Hynds/Sioux City Journal via AP)

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued disaster declarations for more counties in response to severe storms and flooding and expanded existing proclamations related to the outbreak of bird flu in the state.

Reynolds issued a disaster declaration for Harrison, Johnson, Mills and Pottawattamie counties on Wednesday in response to severe storms and flash flooding.

The proclamation authorizes the use of state resources to respond to and recover from the ongoing impacts of severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Assistance Program for residents of Carroll, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Harrison and O’Brien counties.

The state’s Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 to households with incomes at or above 200 percent of the federal poverty line to help cover expenses incurred as a result of the storms. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacing clothing or food, and temporary housing costs. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement. Applicants have 45 days to apply and can apply at homelandsecurity.iowa.gov.

For information about the Disaster Relief Assistance Program, contact your local community action agency or visit iowacommunityaction.org.

Reynolds also temporarily suspended some state regulations in 27 counties in response to widespread flooding in Iowa.

The announcement temporarily suspends the five-day waiting period for the replacement of official copies of vehicle ownership rights for flood victims. It also waives fees for issuing driving licenses, new vehicle registration plates or copies of birth certificates to replace those lost or damaged as a result of the flood. Reynolds is also temporarily suspending regulations regarding, among others: orders for goods and services, operating hours for disaster recovery crews, and various cargo transportation requirements associated with disaster recovery.

The Governor’s Proclamation covers the following counties: Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Fremont, Harrison, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Lyon, Mills, Monona, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas , Pottawattamie, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth and Wright.

Reynolds extends bird flu proclamation

Turkeys gather April 30, 2015, at a facility in Wayland. Gov. Kim Reynolds this week expanded a disaster declaration for three counties in western Iowa that have confirmed positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette) — Turkeys gather on April 30, 2015 at the Wayland facility. This week, Gov. Kim Reynolds extended a disaster declaration for three western Iowa counties with confirmed positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza. (Jim Śłosiarek/The Gazette)

The governor also extended a disaster declaration for three counties in western Iowa where positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have been confirmed.

The proclamation allows Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Management resources to assist in tracking and monitoring avian influenza outbreaks in Sioux, Cherokee and Sac Counties, including rapid detection, containment, removal and disinfection. The proclamation also lifted regulatory provisions for commercial vehicles coming to the affected locations.

According to government officials, recent confirmed cases of bird flu in poultry do not pose an immediate threat to public health. Consumption of poultry products remains safe.

The governor’s office advised that producers who suspect they have bird flu symptoms should contact their veterinarian immediately.

State offers support to Perry plant workers

A sign from April 22, 2020, stands outside a Tyson Foods pork plant in Perry. Tyson Foods is closing the plant, affecting about 1,200 workers. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Iowa Workforce Development is expanding programs to find jobs for hundreds of Perry workers who will lose their jobs when the Tyson Foods plant in the city closes on Friday.

Starting Monday, the state employment agency will have support staff at the Des Moines Area Community College VanKirk Center in Perry. The staff will help unemployed workers with unemployment assistance, resume and career support and other job-related services, the agency said.

The program will run from Monday to Wednesday and again from July 9 to 11. Iowa Workforce Development will then assess needs and provide a new schedule, the department said.

Tyson Foods announced in March that the plant would close, affecting more than 1,000 workers at the city’s largest employer. Since the announcement, Iowa Workforce Development has sent the state’s Mobile Workforce Center to Perry, held a job fair and set up a transition center at the plant.

“Iowa Workforce Development remains committed to helping every impacted Tyson employee find a new path forward,” said Beth Townsend, executive director of the agency. “While this is a challenging time, it is also an opportunity to explore new careers. Maintaining our efforts and presence in the Perry area will help connect this skilled workforce with Iowa employers with workforce needs.”