Delaware supervisors pledge support for Lake Delhi dam

The Delaware County supervisors on Monday pledged their support for rebuilding the Lake Delhi dam but stopped short of committing county funds to the effort.

“That would have been important. The funding commitment would have helped us secure grants from the state,” said Dave Fink, a leader of the Lake Delhi Recreation Association, the owner of the dam that breached on July 24 during flooding of the Maquoketa River.

The association's efforts to rebuild the dam and to restore the diminished value of its members' formerly lakefront property met a huge obstacle last week when the Federal Emergency Management Agency ruled that the group is not eligible for federal assistance.

About 100 people, most of them Lake Delhi residents, packed the third-floor courtroom Monday for the regular meeting of the supervisors, whose agenda consisted mostly of requests for assistance from the Lake Delhi Recreation Association.

Association President Jim Willey said there will likely be a requirement for local funding in any plan to rebuild the dam, which is estimated to cost $5 million.

Without a rebuilt dam, he said, the county revenues will decline as a result of decreased property taxes collected in the affected area, and Delaware County businesses have already noticed a decline in sales because of the lake residents' financial hardships.

“We think it is a good investment for the county,” Willey said.

Supervisor Jerry Ries said a special commitment to one part of the county would open the door to similar reequests throughout the county.

The  supervisors agreed to research potential funding sources.

Willey said the FEMA ruling of ineligibility also prevents the association from being reimbursed by FEMA for the cost of debris removal.

Since the county is eligible, Willey asked the county to pay the debris removal contractors and submit the claim for reimbursement.

The supervisors said they would do so if they can get a commitment from FEMA for the reimbursement.

They also reaffirmed the county's intention to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and set the first reading of the required ordinance for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 7.

Adoption of the ordinance within six months of the disaster will enable Lake Delhi flood victims to collect individual recovery assistance from the state or federal governments, and it will enable county residents to obtain reasonably priced flood insurance.