Rock Rapids, Iowa — While FEMA grants are starting to come through for flood-damaged locations in northwest Iowa, some are still pending, and have been since the 2024 floods, almost two years ago.
Many people are still not sure what’s going to happen with their houses, which, at this point, they still own, but are more of a liability for them while the FEMA decisions are being made.
We talked to Lyon County Supervisor Jerry Birkey about what’s going to happen with the Lyon County Annex building in downtown Rock Rapids, since it is beyond repair, but cannot be torn down without FEMA funding.
And, while that’s a headache, Birkey shared with us that his bigger concern with FEMA concerns the Lyon County Engineer’s office.
Birkey says bridges in the county took a big hit with the 2024 floods.
In other news from the Lyon County board of supervisors, the board continues to work on cleanup items from the courthouse break-in. They approved a bid to replace windows that were broken inside the courthouse during the incident. They are also considering having only one public entrance to the courthouse.
Elsewhere in the county — it is possible that the intersection of 180th Street and Dove Avenue (that would be A26 and K30, about three and a third miles northwest of Alvord, or three miles south of Lester) — will become a four-way stop.
KIWA Staff Photo
