Emergency public jobs program winding down

A $7.2-million dollar federal grant in 2008 put hundreds of flood-impacted and unemployed Eastern Iowans back on the job.  But the Emergency Public Jobs program is quickly running out of money.  Still,  the “free” help provided to non-profit groups and local governments made a big impact in restoring flood-damaged public property.

Even though the grant money is running out, some unemployed Iowans are still signing on.  Darren Owens was out of work when he discovered he qualified for the Emergency Public Jobs program.  A week ago, he joined the crew helping rebuild the Ushers Ferry Historic Village in Cedar Rapids.  For the next two months, until the program ends, he'll get a paycheck and training to help land a permanent job.

“I was searching for a job…I had a lot of applications out…a lot of resumes…but I didn't have any luck,” Owens said.

Both participants and agencies using the public jobs workers call the program a “win-win.”  Workers got a chance to earn a paycheck with prevailing wages for the job performed and also got training useful in looking for a permanent position.  The non-profit groups and local governments using the workers benefitted from extra help without having to pay any of the wages. The U.S. Labor Department grant gave preference to workers who either lost homes or jobs due to flooding in June of 2008.  The chronically unemployed were also eligible.  One of the main restrictions was any of the work performed had to involve flood repair or restoration-not general maintenance or civic improvements.

In the case of Ushers Ferry, the four to six workers on the job here constantly since last November made all the difference in getting this city attraction nearly back to its pre-flood condition.  Thirty four out of 36 historic buildings at the village sustained some flood damage.  Site Supervisor Teresa White says it would have been impossible to repair as much as they have with just regular employees and weekend volunteers.

“We're 2-3-4 years ahead of where we would have been (without the workers).  Like the print shop here I was telling you about, that would have been done in 2014,” White said.

Kirkwood Community College administers the program and at the peak, nearly 500 people worked at more than 80 locations around Eastern Iowa.  But with the grant expiring June 30

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, the list of workers now is barely more than 30 at just nine work sites.  The goal now is to finish up what's underway before the money runs out.  Randy McNeal, a public jobs worker and site supervisor, said the participants are feeling a bit of the pressure now to wrap up on a high note.

“It's been frustrating, exasperating-it's been darn hard work.  But we're getting ‘er done one brick at a time,” McNeal said.

With the help of Emergency Public Jobs, Ushers Ferry should have nearly every building repaired and reopened by the start of the summer visitor season in June.  One organizer says the program provided an estimated one million man hours of free labor for non-profits and local governments.  And an estimated 20-25% of those who helped with flood repair got full time jobs as a result of the experience.