Committee on track to meet deadline for flood, storm report

Font Size:

By Fred Love | Friday, August 15, 2008 11:40 PM CDT | () comments

DES MOINES — The Rebuild Iowa Commission is on pace to meet its Sept. 2 deadline for completing its report on flood and storm damage sustained by the state this summer.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver says the report could help determine whether he will call the Legislature back into session this fall to create policies that could help smooth the rebuilding process.

The 15-member commission has been compiling its report since its first meeting in mid-July.

The commission is divided into nine task forces that have analyzed different facets of the disasters and contributed to the report.

Beverly Wharton, president of Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, took part on the commission’s education task force.

Wharton said the education task force has set its sights on making sure that all schools and students affected by the disasters are ready to go on the first scheduled day of school.

“We’re focusing on the immediate needs that we see out there, so we wanted to make sure the school districts impacted by tornadoes or storms or floods are aware of the services available to them, make sure they could take advantage of those in a timely manner,” she said.

She couldn’t comment on the contents of the commission’s report until it’s finalized, but she said she’s found through her work on the commission that Iowans have responded well to the disasters and have already begun the process of putting the state back together.

“My sense in listening to the reports is that people have been very, very proactive in responding to this crisis,” she said. “My sense, as well, is that they’re working together.”

Wharton said the process has proceeded on schedule, and her task force will review a draft of their part of the report within the next few days.

“We’re right on track with our work at this point,” Wharton said.

Culver created the commission and an executive agency to oversee the rebuilding process after Iowa was battered by storms and floods throughout the summer.

Culver gave the commission 45 days from its first meeting to present a report containing an assessment of the damage and recommendations on how to proceed with the rebuilding effort.

The commission will meet Aug. 25 and 26 in Urbandale to discuss the final report before presenting it to Culver on Sept. 2.

Fred Love can be contacted at (515) 243-0138 or fred.love@lee.net.