Flood news to use
In order to speed clean-up efforts in Duluth, Mayor Don Ness announced Monday that free curbside removal of flood-damaged materials will be offered. The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District already had agreed to accept waste from the flood free of charge at its Materials Recovery Center off Rice Lake Road, but now it will provide door-to-door service for flood victims.By: News Tribune staff, Duluth News Tribune
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Free removal of damaged materials
In order to speed clean-up efforts in Duluth, Mayor Don Ness announced Monday that free curbside removal of flood-damaged materials will be offered. The Western Lake Superior Sanitary District already had agreed to accept waste from the flood free of charge at its Materials Recovery Center off Rice Lake Road, but now it will provide door-to-door service for flood victims.
Ness asked that residents make use of this service only to deal with flood-
related waste, not other types of garbage.
The mayor urged people to wear dust masks while dealing with water-damaged materials and to protect themselves from direct skin contact with contaminated water.
Red Cross Help Line
Flood victims across Northeastern Minnesota who need assistance from the Northland Chapter of the American Red Cross should call (218) 722-0071.
Cleanup, emergency kits available
The Red Cross is distributing household clean-up kits and emergency kits from its office at 2524 Maple Grove Road in Duluth.
Well testing kits
The Minnesota Department of Health is offering free well water testing kits for people who have a private well that was under water or if flood water came within 50 feet of the wellhead. Information on testing and disinfecting wells is available from local health departments, the MDH Northeastern District Office at (218) 723-4642 or the MDH Central Office at (651) 201-4600 or go to www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/emergency/natural/floods/index.html. Free water test kits, including sample bottles and instructions, are available by calling at these locations:
Private water testing laboratories can also test water samples for bacterial contamination. Go to https://apps.health.state.mn.us/eldo/public/accreditedlabs/labsearch.seam.
Free flood-recovery buckets available
Buckets filled with supplies to help clean up homes from flooding will be available at Faith United Methodist Church, 1531 Hughitt Ave., Superior (the Church behind Hardees) for pick-up this week. Anyone from the area who has experienced damage from flooding this past week can receive a flood-bucket supply kit.
The supplies are provided by Wisconsin and regional United Methodist Churches through the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The five-gallon buckets with resealable lids include scouring pads, sponges, scrub brush, cleaning towels, liquid laundry detergent, household cleaner, dish soap, clothes line. dust masks, disposable waterproof gloves, work gloves, heavy duty trash bags, insect repellent spray, air freshener and clothes pins. Call (715) 394-9608.
Veterans can get flood grants
The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs is offering Disaster Relief Grants for reimbursable expenses to veterans in Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Dakota, Goodhue, Lake, Rice and St. Louis counties. Veterans, their families and surviving spouses may be eligible for reimbursement assistance of up to $750 if they have not received other state or federal assistance.
Veterans and their families should contact their respective County Veteran Service Office to apply for a Disaster Relief Grant, or call (888) 546-5838 for assistance finding the location and phone number of their CVSO. All eligible applications and copies of receipts for expenditures must be dated no earlier than June 13, 2012, and the application must be postmarked no later than Sept. 30, 2012.
Carlton County damage disposal
Carlton County residents are urged to get storm-related residential/
noncommercial waste out of homes and sorted. There are multiple options for residents to dispose of waste.
Sorting garbage is crucial for public health and safety reasons. The county is urging residents to separate household hazardous waste, appliances, electronics, demolition and solid waste (for example: ruined carpets and furniture), food waste, and woody waste. Collection points will require that this material be separated.
The Carlton County Transfer Station, the Shamrock Landfill and the Materials Recovery Center of the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District all are accepting storm-related waste for free. At noon today, two additional sites in Cromwell and Barnum also will start accepting storm-related waste.
The sites are the Barnum County Shop, 3888 Highway 61, Barnum, open today until 6 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the Cromwell County Shop, 1400 Highway 73, Cromwell, open today until 6 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Carlton County Transfer Station is open regular hours and is accepting waste at its normal rates. The Transfer Station is at 1950 Highway 210, three-quarter miles west of Interstate 35. Their hours of operations are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (218) 879-9089.
Property tax relief possible for damage
If structures on your property have been damaged or destroyed as a result of the recent flooding disaster, you may be eligible to receive some property tax relief on this year’s property taxes as well as property taxes payable next year. The type of tax relief you could receive will depend on whether your property is homesteaded, whether it is within a declared disaster or emergency area, the amount of damage sustained and a variety of other factors.
St. Louis County can take information of damage to your property by using the form at www.stlouiscounty
mn.gov, call the County Assessor’s office at (218) 726-2304 or by visiting a County Assessor’s office in the Duluth Courthouse, the Virginia Northland Office Center or the Ely Services Center.
Carlton County property assessments
Carlton County needs to inspect and reassess all properties damaged in this week’s flooding, Carlton County Assessor Marci Moreland said. The purpose of the reassessments is for property tax relief and to help determine eligibility for any federal assistance that may come available.
Inspections began Monday. To get an accurate accounting of damage, it is best that property owners do not make any repairs before the inspection, unless the repairs are necessary immediately.
Property owners who suffered damage due to the floods can call the assessor’s office at (218) 384-9142 or (218) 284-9144. Callers who can’t reach anyone are asked to call (218) 384-9149 and leave their name, address and phone number.
Storm sand debris sites reopen
Because of widespread flood damage, the city of Duluth is reopening the spring Road Sand Collection sites for homeowners to use (no contractors) for disposal of sand and gravel left by the storm. The sites are for sand and gravel only, no large rocks or brush please. The sites are for homeowner disposal, not contractors.
The collection sites are marked with black silt fencing and a sign. They are open to all Duluth residents to dump road sand from their yards, sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Sites are at the following locations:
Catch basins lead directly to our streams and Lake Superior, not to the wastewater treatment plant. Please do not dump anything into them. Contact the city of Duluth at (218) 730-4130 during business hours or (218) 730-4100 on evenings and weekends to report any illegal discharge or dumping.
For additional information regarding this program, please contact Project Coordinator Chris Kleist at (218) 355-0598.
Water test kits
The Douglas County Health and Human Services Department is offering water test kits for Douglas County residents who have private wells that may have been contaminated as a result of last week’s flooding.
If you’re experiencing a noticeable change in drinking water quality or your well or well cap have come into contact with flood waters, your well could be contaminated.
People should stop using water from the well and use bottled or boiled water for consumption, and test the well. If contamination is found, the well needs to be disinfected.
Test kits for wells can be obtained at the Douglas County Health Department, Suite 324 of the Government Center or call (715) 395-1304 for information. Test kits will be available starting today.
Municipal water supplies like those in the city of Superior and Manitou Valley area are tested for contamination during the rainfall, and these systems are safe, the Health Department said.
For more information about disinfecting a well, visit http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/dwg/pubs/BactiInWell.pdf.
Register to volunteer of get help
People who need to report damage to personal property or are in need of volunteer or other assistance should continue to call 211 or (800) 543-7709 if calling from a cell phone or go to www.unitedwayduluth.org, click on "GET HELP" and complete the survey.
Businesses should contact Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to report their damage, the web survey is at http://sgiz.mobi/s3/d09f8604baef.
People interested in volunteering to help with flood cleanup and recovery efforts can now register online.
To register, go to the city of Duluth website at www.duluthmn.gov and click on the crawling red “DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY” banner at the top of the page or go to the United Way of Greater Duluth website at www.volunteerduluth.org and click on “GIVE HELP” button on the left side of the page.
To register, people will answer a survey asking for contact information, availability, experience and skills. The information will go into a centralized volunteer registration database, allowing the city and other coordinating organizations to match volunteers with needed help.
Mail available
Duluth-area residents who are not receiving mail because of closed or impassable roads can pick up their mail at the Duluth Main Post Office or the Mt. Royal Station until regular delivery is restored. Customers should bring a current photo ID.
Customers in ZIP Codes 55802, 55805-8, and 55810-12 should go to the Main Post Office at 2800 W. Michigan Ave. Mail will be available for pickup during window hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Customers in ZIP Codes 55803 and 55804 can collect their mail at the Mount Royal Station, 2800 Mt. Royal Shopping Circle, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
Report damage
Minnesota residents with storm damage should report it immediately to their county emergency managers.
Health tips
The Minnesota Department of Health has created a web page for health-related flood information at www.health.state.mn.us/
2012flood.
Help with insurance claims
Insurance experts with the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s consumer response team can help Minnesotans understand their rights, work with insurers to settle claims and help storm victims make informed insurance decisions. The team can be reached at (651) 296-2488 or (800) 657-3602 or
consumer.protection@state.mn.us.
YMCA offers showers
The Duluth Area Family YMCA and the Superior YMCA have opened their doors to victims of the flooding that has occurred in the Twin Ports.
In response to community need, both YMCA locations are welcoming people who need showers to use the showering facilities for free.
If you and/or your family have suffered damage to your home, the Y is here for you. Contact the Duluth Area Family YMCA at (218) 722-4745 or the Superior YMCA at (715) 392-5611 for more information.
Minnesota Department of Commerce information
Following severe weather events, the Minnesota Department of Commerce is on hand to help consumers understand their rights, resolve insurance claims, and provide energy and weatherization assistance to low-income Minnesotans.
All Minnesota residents affected by the storms are encouraged to visit the Commerce Department’s Disaster Information Center or call the Consumer Response Team. CRT representatives are available to assist Minnesota consumers between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at (651) 296-2488 or (800) 657-3602 (Greater Minnesota) or by e-mail at consumer.protection@state.mn.us.
Insurance experts at the CRT can help Minnesotans understand their rights, work with insurers to settle claims, and help storm victims make informed insurance decisions after a flood or storm damages their home, auto, or property.
Following severe weather or flooding, the Minnesota Department of Commerce has resources available to provide certain repair services to income eligible households. Available services for income eligible households (200 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines) may include: Primary heating system replacements and repairs, including ductwork and venting, flue or chimney repairs; water heater replacement or repair, including venting and flue work; and furnace repair or replacement.
These services are considered for homes affected by a disaster only after all private insurance, FEMA and other disaster-related resources have been utilized. In addition, qualifying households must be located in a designated disaster area and be directly affected by the disaster.
Contact your local provider or the Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Information Center at (800) 657-3710 or by e-mail at energy.info@state.mn.us.
What to do after a storm
If a storm damages your property, follow these simple steps:
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