Flood-prone properties to be demolished The Stearns County Board of Commissioners agreed to purchase three homes on Clearwater Lake that have a history of severe flooding. Money to buy and demolish these homes is coming from two resources; FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) will pay 75 percent of the cost, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Flood Hazard Mitigation Grant will cover another 12.5 percent. All of the homeowners agreed to absorb the other 12.5 percent. No county dollars were invested in this project. Total acquisition costs are $168,000, based on 2002 market values of the homes. Once the purchase is made, the homes will be demolished and the area restored to its natural state. The board will decide at a later date what to do with the vacated properties. The DNR has expressed interest in purchasing the land once it is vacated. Originally, five homeowners with a long history of flooding problems were approached about a buyout. All live along Bayview Road. Only three chose to participate in the program. Of those three homes, one has been abandoned since flooding in 2002, another is uninhabitable, and the other is used only as a summer property. New program aims to keep people off welfare Stearns County Human Services staff explained their plan to implement the Diversionary Work Program (DWP), a short-term, work-focused program to help families move immediately to employment rather than go ing on welfare. The program is a part of Minnesota’s Welfare reform initiative, established by the 2003 legislature, and to be implemented in all counties no later than July 1, 2004. DWP diverts clients from receiving MFIP (Minnesota Family Investment Program) dollars. Instead, it requires immediate engagement in employment services, working with a counselor to break down barriers to work and finding employment. Currently, MFIP applicants receive a cash grant based on family size and food stamps, while also working on a career plan. Under the program, they don’t receive those up-front dollars. Instead, they are able to get assistance with housing and utilities while developing an employment plan. If there’s money left over they can get a small personal allowance of $70 per person living in the household. They can also apply for food support, health care, childcare and work support assistance independently. The DWP is a four-month intensive employment program that applies to all adults in the family. If the client doesn’t comply 100 percent with the program, the family is disqualified from receiving benefits. After completing the four-month program, families can apply for MFIP if necessary. In a pilot program in Dakota County a few years ago, they found the Diversionary Work Program was successful in diverting people from going on long-term assistance and ever having to apply for MFIP.
