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Johnson moved into Cedar Bay Townhomes seven months before the flood. Suddenly, he was homeless and wondering what would happen to his new home — which, unlike other flooded areas, remained underwater for nearly a week after Aug. 18-19.
Since Johnson and his neighbors were in the same boat, they pooled resources to weather the crisis.
“We had each other’s telephone and e-mail addresses, and we worked together to gather information,” Johnson said. “If nothing else, it brought us closer together.”
Goodview officials ultimately moved to drain Lake Goodview, which had risen 15 feet to displace more than 350 residents at the townhomes and Lakeside Manor Apartments.
And that wasn’t all of the worst damage in Goodview, which suffered $7.7 million in property damage, according to County Assessor Steve Hacken.
The Sunny Acres subdivision in western Goodview was one of the Winona County’s hardest-hit areas. Of more than 50 homes in the subdivision, 25 parcels saw more than $50,000 damage, according to Winona County flood maps.
Like many other victims, Johnson had to decide whether his home was salvageable — from both logistical and a financial standpoint.
“We had toyed with the idea of walking away,” Johnson said. “We decided to rebuild.”
Six months after the floods, Goodview Administrator Dan Matejka said a “clear majority” of residents have returned to their homes.
The city doesn’t have definite figures on who is still displaced. Matejka said he knows of two homeowners who may not return and another two who are still living in FEMA trailers.
At Goodview’s Industrial Park along Highway 61, 27 businesses were flooded. Matejka said all 27 are back up and running, though many aren’t yet back to full speed.
The city’s new park — completed in 2006 — also sustained major damage.
As residents and business owners continue to rebuild, Matejka said the disaster has permanently changed Goodview.
The city wants to install a permanent outlet to allow Lake Goodview to drain in emergency situations.
Goodview also may use federal dollars to annex 123 homes in Rollingstone Township, the majority of which were flooded.
For Cedar Bay residents, the rebuilding process was an epic undertaking.
Johnson said the townhome association loaded up more than 25 Dumpsters with furniture, carpet and other debris.
But Johnson says the trials also renewed his sense of what matters most. He noted that seven southeast Minnesotans weren’t so lucky.
“It’s unreal what we all lost,” Johnson said. “But we are alive.”
