Feds to Pay $79,000 to raise $115,000 Home out of Floodplain

The federal government will spend $79,420 to raise a home worth $115,000 nine feet out of the Mississippi River floodplain.

On Monday, the St. Charles County Council approved the bid to raise the house at 458 Ed Mar Drive. However, no county funds will be used to raise the home. Expert House Movers will elevate the home on nine-foot pilings.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides 75 percent of the funds. Usually the homeowner provides a 25 percent match. However, Steve Lauer, with the St. Charles County Community Development, said that in this case a federal grant administered through the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) will provide the 25 percent matching funds.

County Executive Steve Ehlmann said, “If they (FEMA officials) don’t do it, they feel they’ll have to pay even more (in flood insurance payments) based upon what they’ve paid out in the past and what they expect to pay out in the future.”

The program is offered to homes frequently affected by flooding. Lauer said that nine St. Charles County homes were eligible. He said the home involved was the only one affected by Mississippi River flooding in 2008.

 “It’s a voluntary program,” Lauer said. “Some of the other homes have basements and they didn’t want to lose them.”

Ehlman said he’s not a fan of the program.

“It’s them (federal government) taking over land uses for flood control when it used to be under our control,” he said.

Smartt Field

During its Monday meeting, the council also unanimously approved a $774,250 federal grant for Smartt Field administered through the Missouri Department of Transportation. The money will be used to build two more hangars at the local airport.

Councilman Paul Wynn, R-District 4, of O’Fallon, said that as an airport that almost exclusively serves private airplanes, Smartt Field should not receive federal money.

Councilman Joe Cronin, R-District 1, of St. Paul, said the airport serves local police departments and hospitals as well.

County Counsel Joann Leykam also said Smartt Field serves as a relief airport for Lambert St. Louis International Airport.

“It used to be that at Lambert you had all these private airplanes taking off and landing at Lambert. You don’t want that. It’s dangerous,” Leykam said.

Now, most private plans take off and land at Smartt Field or Spirit of St. Louis Airport Chesterfield.