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But the crews will stay on the job for another six months after federal officials announced a $2 million extension of a national emergency grant from the Department of Labor.
The grant provides temporary work for those whose jobs were displaced by the flood. The workers aid in flood recovery by removing debris, rebuilding parks and cooking for volunteers, among other tasks.
The $2 million allocation is the second portion of a $3 million grant that was approved in September; the first $1 million has funded the efforts to this point.
But crews in Winona and Fillmore counties had nearly exhausted the first batch of funds and weren’t certain when — or if — they’d receive more.
Steve Runkle, who’s supervising the Winona County crews, said he was prepared to lay off workers next week if necessary.
So the announcement brought “a collective sigh of relief,” said Tami Sheff, who oversees the Fillmore County crews.
“It was really down to the line,” Sheff said. “We didn’t want to just pack up and say: ‘Good luck.’”
Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minnesota, announced the extension late Wednesday.
“I am pleased to see the final $2 million on its way to the folks in the region as we continue working to recover,” Coleman said in a release.
Victims in seven flooded Minnesota counties were eligible for the jobs, though the vast majority were in Winona and Fillmore counties.
Runkle said in February that about 100 employees have found work at those offices since September.
In Winona County, the grant has funded debris removal from Garvin Brook and reconstruction of Farmer’s Park near Lewiston, among other jobs.
In Rushford, Sheff said workers have done everything from replacing damaged water meters to rebuilding city road barricades to renovating the city’s historic railroad depot.
“People have walked in the door, and their skills fit perfectly with what’s needed,” Sheff said.
Contact Mark Sommerhauser at (507) 453-3514 or msommerhauser@winonadailynews.com
