GOP governor hopeful hears flood recovery frustrations

By James Q. Lynch 

The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS – Republican gubernatorial hopeful Rep. Rod Roberts lent a sympathetic ear to northwest Cedar Rapids residents frustrated with the course of flood recovery.

Roberts, a five-term legislator from Carroll, listened to residents for more than 30 minutes at an informal meeting in Cedar Rapids Friday afternoon. AJai Dittmar, secretary of Northwest Neighbors, a neighborhood association, told Roberts residents – past and present – feel decisions being made by city government amount to an “economic cleansing” of their neighborhood.

Roberts, who seeking the GOP nomination to face Democratic Gov. Chet Culver, encouraged the residents to continue to try to work with local and state officials on flood recovery issues.

“It sounds like you're doing the right things,” he said, “but if there's no progress, then you need to contact the governor's office and the (state) ombudsman.”

Roberts said he can't begin to “appreciate the depth to which your lives have been changed.”

He'll make a point to speak the state Citizen Aide/Ombudsman's Office to pass on their concerns “and to tell him you would appreciate immediate attention.”

Roberts also sought to reassure the Cedar Rapids flood victims that Iowans “generally have a sense this is an ongoing struggle, that it's not fixed and done with.”

“Many of us, regardless of where we live, are aware of the lingering challenges here and understand there is a long way to go,” Roberts said.

Roberts' rivals for the nomination, Bob Vander Plaats and former Gov. Terry Branstad, also were invited to meet with the northwest neighborhood residents, according to Kathy Potts, who organized the meeting.