Web Extra!
Brookfield Village Manager Riccardo Ginex announced today that due to the extent of damage done to homes in the wake of the July 24 flood event, the village’s waste hauling company, Groot, has extended storm-damage pickup until Friday, Aug. 6.
In addition, the village will not require demolition permits for homes damaged by flooding. However, Brookfield will require permits for reconstruction work. Ginex said that the village’s Building and Planning Department would try to expedite those permits as they come in.
In Riverside, which was not nearly as hard-hit by the flooding (the heavy rains of June 23 resulted in much more widespread damage), any storm damage debris should be left on the curb and will be hauled away by Allied Waste next Tuesday, according to Village Manager Peter Scalera.
North Riverside, meanwhile, will host a town hall meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 4, at 6 p.m. in the gym at the North Riverside Village Commons, 2401 Desplaines Ave.
In addition to village officials, representatives from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Cook County, ComEd and the village’s engineering firm will be on hand to field questions from residents about the July 24 flooding, which deluged basements throughout the village.
Brookfield, Riverside and North Riverside are participating in Cook County’s effort to have the federal government declare it a disaster area and qualify for federal aid for both affected residents and the municipalities themselves.
Damage assessment forms can be found on the Brookfield Web site at www.brookfieldil.gov, the Riverside Web site at www.riverside.il.us and the North Riverside Web site at www.northriverside-il.org.
Residents whose homes were damaged by flooding are encouraged to download the forms, fill them out and return them to the village for submission to the federal government.
Finally, Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias announced Tuesday that residents and business owners of northern Illinois affected by flooding are eligible for low-interest disaster recovery loans.
According to a press release, “underinsured residents and business owners can qualify for low-interest loans with repayment terms of up to five years.” One-year, interest-only payment bridge loans are also available to residents and business owners who expect insurance to cover the cost of damages. The loans are to be paid off in one lump sum when insurance comes through.