(Radio Iowa) – The city of Rock Valley and the Rock Valley Community School District are receiving millions of dollars in FEMA reimbursements nearly 20 months after devastating flooding. The City of Rock Valley has been approved for more than three-point-seven (3.7) million dollars. City Administrator Tom Van Maanen calls it “very, very positive news,” but says the recovery effort is still ongoing. “We’re far from done,” he says. The city currently has roughly 25 separate FEMA applications tied to flood recovery.

“With these getting signed off, we’re probably have resolved 15 of the 25, but money-wise, it’s probably about a third of our total requests into FEMA. But we have some big applications still working through with FEMA,” Van Maanen says. The funding reimburses the city for money already spent to replace equipment lost at the city shop, complete water and sewer work for displaced residents, and lease temporary spaces for city facilities.

Van Maanen says the money will be used to retire debt the city had to take on while waiting for federal approvals. The city has paid roughly one million dollars in interest while waiting for FEMA funding. Several large projects are still pending, including the reconstruction of the library and city shop, and a proposed 35 million-dollar home buyout program. FEMA says additional projects will continue to be reviewed and funded on a rolling basis.

This funding was part of a broader FEMA approval announced this week that included disaster recovery dollars for other communities in Iowa and Nebraska. The Rock Valley Community School District is receiving more than five-point-seven (5.7) million dollars for building repairs tied to the flood.