The First District Congressman from Mankato got an earful from Mayor Les Ladewig, Fire Chief Mike Ebner, and R-P Schools Supt. Chuck Ehler at a small gathering of 10 persons in the high school theater.

The local officials spoke mostly in measured tones, but there was a clear undertone of frustration regarding how government was responding to the city's financial needs and the lack of speed implementing solutions.

Walz, accompanied by aide Meredith Salsbery, said he would try to help the residents' cause the best way he could upon his return to Washington, D.C.

He opened with one bit of good news: Walz and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar had managed to persuade FEMA Director David Paulison to extend the deadline for submitting SBA applications from the past Monday (Oct. 22) to Wednesday, Nov. 14.

The extension was necessary in light of a low application rate over the past 60 days, the Minnesotans' letter to Paulison explained. A requested deadline extension to Nov. 21 was turned down.

Ladewig initially said he had two issues he wanted to be addressed, namely financial headaches relating to clean-up of the flood-ruined mobile home park, and renters being prevented from moving in to FEMA mobile homes.

"We still have mobile homes sitting down there," he began, reminding that it has now been two months since the flood. "There's the issue of funding, how it's going to get to us, or how it's going to get to the owner of the mobile home park.

"The State came up with a half million dollars for a clean-up. But once FEMA found out they were coming in, then FEMA wanted to get back in.

"We've been going back and forth, and Mr. Block (City Administrator Windy Block) has about pulled out what few hairs he has left.

"You drive around there, and you can see they're (the mobile homes) still sitting there. After eight weeks, it's getting a little bit tiring figuring out how to do that (clean-up)."

If Ladewig was losing patience with the mobile home park issue going unresolved, he was no less so regarding how to find places to live for displaced renters.

"There are no avenues for people to get into a FEMA mobile home if they were renting houses or apartments and were displaced (by the flood)," grumped the mayor.

"They (FEMA officials) say until we exhaust all other available rental options in the city (they won't move on the issue).

'There are none (rental options) here, for God's sake," he said. "They were lost in the flood.

"Displaced people need housing. What difference does it make if they were renting before, or owning?"

Walz believed the problem had been addressed satisfactorily before.

"I thought we got assurance (from FEMA) there would be no issues there," said the Congressman.

Ebner said the Rushford Fire Dept. is currently in something of a financial limbo because it needs to replace volunteer firemen's turnout gear (coats, boots) damaged in the flood. The gear has been condemned by a Wisconsin testing company, the chief explained, but for the time being, the firemen are making due with the condemned duds.

The cost for new gear? Something in the range of $45,000 to $50,000.

Ebner said he asked a FEMA representative how the fire department might go out and order the needed equipment. The reply was that however it was done before.

"I said, 'Previously we had the money in hand before we did it,' "Ebner explained. "That's my concern. We can go out and order $45,000 to $50,000 worth of turnout gear to keep our firefighters safe if we go to fires.

"But in 30 days that bill will come to Mayor Ladewig and the city. At this point, the city is basically broke."

Because of delays in insurance coverage, FEMA and/or state considerations, the funding process could take three or four months.

"This makes me nervous," Walz commented. "This is one issue I'd like to personally handle.

"They're (FEMA) trying to do this in the right way so you don't have fraud, waste, or abuse. But this is a public safety issue."

Ehler said the school district was in "the same boat as the fire department in regard to ordering repairs and hopingthe bills eventually will get paid.

"When they (FEMA) approve the things we're having done," noted the administrator, "there's no guarantee we're getting the money.

"If I'm extended $75,000, we're not sure that's going to be approved. If three months down the road they haven't approved it, we're in a world of hurt."

WaIz seemed firmly in Ehler's corner.

"These are not 'nice to have' things," WaIz said, "these are necessities. If you're going to replace computers or books for this year's classes, they have to be done.

"This is where we can play a role in this and get some answers," he added.