Geneva must soak up flood spending

Geneva won't be getting reimbursed anytime soon by the federal government for what it spent to deal with record-breaking rains - and resulting flooding - in mid-September.

City Administrator Mary McKittrick told aldermen Monday night that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has declined to declare Kane County governments eligible for public assistance.

"Well, that's disappointing," Alderman Ron Singer said.

Kane County officials are appealing the decision, McKittrick said.

The city spent about $100,000 in personnel, supply and other costs the weekend of Sept. 13, when 8 to 10 inches of rain fell in one day. Streets and parks were closed due to flooding, and the city was billed more than $20,000 by its garbage hauler to pick up water-damaged debris from nearly 300 homes after the deluge.

Private citizens - including Singer himself, whose home was damaged - can still apply for help from FEMA. A mobile FEMA center is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday at the Maple Park Fire Department, 305 S. County Line Road. Information also is available at the Geneva city hall, 22 S. First St., and on the city's Web site, geneva.il.us. You may also apply online at fema.gov.