Mayor’s Flood Forum on Thursday
Mayor Corbett will host his monthly Flood Forum on March 11, at 6:00 p.m. on the Westdale Mall lower level near the library. The forum will feature presentations on the flood risk management system feasibility study by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the spring 2010 weather forecasting overview by the National Weather Service and Cedar Rapids’ flood response system and interim flood protection measures by City staff.  
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Learn About New Flood Insurance Rates on Thursday
Learn about the updated FEMA floodplain maps and how they will affect flood insurance rates. This come-and-go session will be held on Thursday, March 11, any time between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Library Community Room in Westdale Mall. You will be able to speak individually with FEMA, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and City staff representatives.
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Buyout Progress Continues
The Voluntary Property Acquisition process for properties located in the Greenway Area and funded by FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is making great progress. Here are the latest stats:

• Total Eligible Properties: 117

• Properties not Participating: 13

• Signed Purchased Agreements: 93

• Completed Closings: 15    

More closings are being scheduled for the next few weeks.
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City to Demolish Flood-Damaged Structures
Next week, the City will begin demolishing 286 residential structures that sustained extensive damage in the Flood of 2008. The City has determined that these structures pose an imminent threat to the life, health, property and safety of the public. The City has received signed permission from each of the property owners for these demolitions.
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Council Meetings Now on Tuesdays
For the rest of 2010, City Council work sessions start at 4:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month and regular meetings start at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Public comment periods occur at the beginning of regular meetings and at the end of work sessions. All meetings are held at the Hiawatha City Hall, 101 Emmons Street in Hiawatha.
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Mobile Speed Vehicle on Patrol
The Police Department’s mobile speed vehicle is on patrol in Cedar Rapids. If the camera catches you speeding, especially in a school zone, you will receive a civil citation in the mail. The citation will include instructions on how to view the photo online and how to appeal.
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Online Map Illustrates 2010 FEMA Flood Zones
The City’s online map of flood-damaged properties now includes the borders of the updated FEMA flood insurance rate maps taking effect on April 5. These new floodplain maps will change flood insurance rates for 1,900 properties in Cedar Rapids.
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Parking Lots Reserved for Downtown Events
Two downtown parking lots are now reserved for event parking on evenings and weekends. Access to Lots 24 and 26, between 1st and 2nd Avenue and between the railroad tracks and the Iowa Theater Building, will be limited to 1st Avenue only and the City will charge $5.00 per vehicle to park in these lots.
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Stay Off Thin Ice
Please stay off area waterways still covered by thin layers of ice. The recent warming trend has melted a significant layer of the ice and some area waterways are not safe. Watch out for thin, clear or honeycombed ice. Dark snow and dark ice are other signs of weak spots.