The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Oquawka will be receiving improvements to their city Marina at the end of Schuyler Street, according to recent Oquawka Village Board reports.
Oquawka Village President, Todd Miller, said the 2001 spring flood had caused extensive damage along the village's water front which included the Village loading dock and Marina.
Miller said, "In FEMA's partial replacement grant, we are being given assistance in replacing all existing docks at the Oquawka Municipal Harbor. The docks endured a lot of damage from high waters, he explained. "A lot of the metal rails had been bent."
"FEMA also approved assistance in fixing the sea-wall or break water wall, as well as a retaining wall next to the north ramp. Some of the parking lot which was damaged from flooding, will also be repaired," he said.
"The sea wall is of metal interconnecting plates filled with large cement blocks," Miller explained, "but we now have to change the sturcture to meet FEMA guidelines. This also, increases the cost."
FEMA assistance allows 75% payment for the repairs with Oquawka paying the other 25%.
Miller said the grant is helping do work that may have needed done in three or four years anyway. The help from FEMA is greatly appreciated by the village board, he said.
President Miller commended the work of Barb Devore who he said "spear headed paper work" on the grant application process and turned it in on a timely fashion to meet FEMA's July 9th deadline.
"She did a wonderful job," he said.
The board hired Devore to do this work for the village due to her experience on property buy-outs as well as knowledge with marinas.
"She had not only done her own for Devore's Marina after the flood of 1993, but also helped the village do applications as well.
Bids for the grant work were returned and work on the sea wall begins this week.
Galva Foam won bids on the dock work. They had put the original docks in, Miller said.
Jimmy Thompson was awarded the work on the retaining wall.
Miller said the dock replacements should be completed prior to boating season with a June 1 date estimated.
The retaining wall work will start at the end of March or beginning of April, Miller said.
"Without FEMA's help, the work would have cost $80 to $100,000 to do ourselves," Miller guessed.
FEMA's federal disaster aid was made available for flood-stricken families and businesses in western Illinois under a major disaster declaration issued for the state by President George W. Bush on May 10, 2001.
As of the close of business June 7, 2001, FEMA had reported 62 local applicants were approved for FEMA assistance in Henderson County for a total of $51,494.
The total of the FEMA grant for Oquawka and the amount of the bids was not available at press time but will appear in the Oquawka Village Board report at a later tiime in The Quill.