Prairie Lakes Church has set up 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 Prairie Lakes Church at 266-2655 to set up an appointment.

The water conservation restrictions north of the Cedar River have now been lifted. There are no water conservation restrictions in place in the City of Cedar Falls. The City appreciates everyone’s cooperation and patience.

The City Council will hold a special meeting Monday, July 7th. Please check the link here for the agenda. [Meeting Agenda]

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]

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.

The Church of the Nazarene at 1210 W. Lone Tree Road will be open Monday, June 30, through Wednesday, July 2, from 10 am to 2 pm., providing clothing, non-perishable food, supplies and cleanup kits. Hot meals will not be served after Friday, June 27.

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.

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...]

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...]

Beginning Monday, June 23, for those residents needing assistance with food, water, and personal items, please visit the Living Waters Church of the Nazarene at 1210 W. Lone Tree Road. The church will be open Monday through Saturday, June 23 to June 28, from 10 am to 2 pm. Lunches will be served 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.

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.

Funds may be specifically directed to individuals in need, or, in the alternative, the committees shall determine disbursement of the funds.

Emergency Operations Center
319-243-2700

6/19/08 12:15 pm

Pubic Works Operations: The Transfer Station is now open as of Thursday, June 19. The Recycling Center shall remain closed until further notice. There are remote recycling sites located at Walmart, UNI and Fareway, which are operating at limited capacity. Regular refuse and large bulk collection remains on schedule to the extent possible.

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.

Supplies and Food: There are supplies, clothing, non-perishable food, clean up kits and water available at North Cedar Elementary School, 2419 Fern Ave., on Thursday, June 19, from 9 am to 7 pm, and on Friday, June 20, from 9 am to 5 pm.

The North Cedar Disaster Relief Center is providing supplies and services to Cedar Falls and upstream residents with flood damage and recovery.

All other residents from Waterloo and south of the river with flood damage and recovery needs should go to the Disaster Recovery Information and Resource Station located at McKinstry School at the intersection of Idaho and Independence Avenue in Waterloo.

City phones: The Greenwood Cemetery continues to experience phone problems. All other city operations have regular phone service.

Extra police presence: There will continue to be extra police presence in the North Cedar area.

People are urged to report suspicious behavior immediately by calling 911 or Black Hawk County Dispatch at 291-2515.

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

Water Conservation: The water conservation restrictions south of the Cedar River have now been lifted. Restrictions still apply north of the Cedar River due to compromised lift stations which the City is working feverishly to repair.

Thank you to everyone in the entire community of Cedar Falls for your cooperation. Your diligent conservation has made a difference and allowed the repairs to occur more rapidly. It has reduced the environmental impacts.

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.

Recreation Trails: People are urged to stay off the bike trails. City staff continues to assess the condition of those trails.

Emergency Operations Center
319-243-2700

6/19/08 11:30 am

Flood Debris Removal: Debris removal begins today generally in the areas of Central Avenue, Big Woods Road, Longview Street, Center Street and Joanne Street.

Sturgis Falls: The status of the Sturgis Falls Celebration will be determined in the next few days. Further announcements will be forthcoming.

Tetanus Shots: Free tetanus shots will be available at North Cedar Elementary School, 2419 Fern Ave., from 2 pm to 7 pm Tuesday, June 17.

Hot meals: There will be 200 hot meals provided at North Cedar Elementary School to residents affected by the flooding beginning at 11:30 am Tuesday through Friday, June 17-20.

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.

People affected by the flooding are asked to fill out the survey, which is available at North Cedar Elementary School, the Petro Express, 2228 Lincoln Street, and City Hall. People also may print the survey using the link below and return it to any of these locations.

All other announcements from June 16th are still applicable as follows:

Assistance for North Cedar and Cedar City areas: Volunteers are needed to assist those affected by the flooding. People willing to provide assistance are urged to contact City Hall at 273-8600 and provide contact information and ways in which they are willing to help.

People in the North Cedar and Cedar City areas needing assistance may call City Hall at 273-8600 and provide contact information and type of assistance requested.

Supplies and Food: There are supplies, clothing, non-perishable food, clean up kits and water available at North Cedar Elementary School, 2419 Fern Ave., from 9 am to 3 pm Monday through Wednesday, June 16-18.

Debris Removal for those affected by the flooding: Residents affected by the recent flooding should bring their debris to the curb for removal. Removal will begin Monday, June 16.

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.

Public Works Operations: The Public Works Complex was greatly affected by the flooding. The Transfer Station and the Recycling Center shall remain closed until further notice. Residents not directly affected by the flooding must take their own large pick up items and bulk refuse debris to the Black Hawk County Landfill located at 1509 East Washburn Road, phone number 296-2524. Regular refuse collection remains on schedule to the extent possible.

Water Conservation: The entire community of Cedar Falls is urged to continue to limit the use of water. The City’s sewage treatment plant continues to be stressed as the river levels are still above flood stage.

Please limit use of any water that “goes down the drain”. For example, this means do not take long showers, limit laundry and use the dishwasher sparingly. This request will continue until further notice. There may be a request for more drastically reduced water usage if there is additional rainfall.

Police Checkpoints: The Cedar Falls Police Department continues to conduct check points throughout the flooded North Cedar area after dark. Only residents and business owners will be allowed in the area after dark.

People must show identification and proof of address in order to be allowed past the checkpoint areas.

People are urged to report suspicious behavior immediately by calling 911 or Black Hawk County Dispatch at 291-2515.

During daytime hours, people who are not residents or business owners are urged to stay out of the North Cedar area.

City phones: All City buildings, with the exception of City Hall, are experiencing phone problems. Please be patient.

Recreation Trails: People are urged to stay off the bike trails. City staff continues to assess the condition of those trails.

Emergency Operations Center
319-243-2700

6/17/08 10:00 am
[ Housing Assistance Survey...]

The City is requesting that those affected by recent flooding complete a Housing Assistance Survey. The survey may be picked up at North Cedar School; at Petro Express, 2228 Lincoln Street; City Hall or can be found at the link below. Completed surveys should be returned to any one of the three locations listed above. [ Housing Assistance Survey...]

Select the link below for complete information regarding volunteer opportunities and services available to those affected by recent flooding. [Flood Newsletter...]

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.

Residents affected by the recent flooding should bring their debris to the curb for removal. Removal will begin Monday, June 16.

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

Loose material cannot be picked up so residents are asked to please place all debris in bags, boxes or containers.

ABSOLUTELY NO BURNING. Conditions are very hazardous. Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

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.

Bottled drinking water is available at North Cedar School on the north side for people whose wells are compromised. The bottles will be available today until 6:00 p.m.

Attempts are being made to transport portable bathrooms to the North Cedar area. They will be available at the North Cedar School, A-1 Vacationland on Center Street, Joanne Street, and between Timothy and Eddie Streets on Lone Tree Road.

Fitkin Road is open to one lane traffic.

Emergency Operations Center
319-243-2700

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.

For people in the high ground area of North Cedar who now want to be evacuated, the National Guard has set up a shuttle with the assistance of Cedar Falls Schools to the Red Cross Evacuation Center in the McLeod Center.

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.