Bob CollinsA story in a Winona newspaper today might make you pause to wonder how much disaster aid the federal and/or state governments distributes, actually goes to fixing the damage of disasters.
The Winona Daily News reports Houston County in southeast Minnesota is giving back $1.5 million in money it received in 2007, because it didn’t spend the money.
It was originally to go for reconstructing county highway 22, but the project was never started.
The state wants to use the money in Duluth.
An official of Houston County says it will try to keep the interest the money earned.
That was a massive flood that year. More than 10 inches of rain fell in one night. Six people were killed.
Five counties filed for $26 million in aid after the flood. And in 2010, some lawmakers tried to get some of it back.
