Off and running

Greg Eyerly has hit the ground running as Cedar Rapids flood recovery director.

He started on July 13, and already he's having an impact.

Eyerly is leading an effort to clean out some 300 flooded homes and properties that have sat decaying, virtually untouched since last year's historic flood. He's also pushing for stepped-up debris removal in flooded neighborhoods.

Eyerly also became the city's point man in dealing with FEMA and a roughly $100 million gap between the city's assessment of damage it its public facilities and the federal government's estimate. Thanks to Eyerly's role in leading federal officials through a re-inspection process, both sides report that the gap is closing.

In fact, FEMA officials told us this week that the whole process would have been smoother and faster if Eyerly had been on the job sooner.

Calls for strong post-flood leadership in this town started before the waters receded. Some wanted the mayor and council to step up. Others saw the private sector as the best source for authority. Everyone wanted someone to become the city's articulate point person.

Earlier this year, the city council debated and approved the hiring of a director. Watching Eyerly's early performance, we wonder where we'd be now if the council had acted sooner.

“You have to look forward, I think,” said council member Kris Gulick this week. “You can't look back.”

Looking forward, it appears the city is on track to squeeze maximum resources from FEMA for its public facilities. The city's deliberate, tenacious approach on details may pay off in the end and vindicate those who argued for a slow, methodical approach to dealing with the damage.

How that money is ultimately spent is the big question. An important moment comes later this month, on Aug. 18, when a second facilities open house will give the public a chance to weigh in on several options for the future of public buildings and parks.

Big questions loom.

Which facilities should be repaired and returned to service? Are there facilities that should be replaced or upgraded with an eye on better customer service and operating cost savings? How much will FEMA pay? And how much money are citizens willing to spend?

City officials call these 50 to 100 year decisions. We don't disagree. Citizens need to get involved and be heard.

And once decisions are made, Eyerly will have a key role in navigating the state and federal maze that stands between local wishes and making them a reality.

His early performance suggests that he's up to the task.