City Council members on Monday heard concerns about an expanded flood plain map in Rolla that is creating a hardship on homeowners who now are paying insurance premiums upward of $2,000 annually.

Kristen and James Munoz of 906 Brookshire Drive, who bought their new home three years ago, say they are being forced to pay flood insurance they did not have to pay when they bought their home.

“Absolutely, it’s a hardship,” said Kristen Munoz. “I don’t know anyone who has $3,100 laying around to pay flood insurance on a property that three years ago when we bought our home was not in a flood plain. It’s an added expense we didn’t have.”

The Munozes, who spoke briefly at the City Council meeting, were represented by Rolla Board of Realtors President-elect Frank Bridges.

Bridges said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently expanded the flood plains from its previous boundaries to include homes — like the Munoz’s residence — that previously were not in the flood plain.

“There are about 53 homes in the flood plain that were not before,” Bridges told City Council members. “You don’t even need a transom to tell that some homes in the flood plain are higher than those that are not. We can’t get answers from anyone. FEMA’s doing a crappy job with this.”

Bridges said he’s contacted U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau) who is trying to intervene on residents’ behalf.

Darren Lingle, Director of Emerson’s Rolla Office, said he is confident residents will be reimbursed for premiums paid.

“We’ll go right to the (FEMA) director,” Lingle said. “Anyone who has to buy this flood insurance ... will get premiums paid back.”

City Engineer Steve Hargis said he is unsure how many homes are in the expanded flood plain but said he heard “105 structures” were in the four flood plains in Rolla.

Later during the meeting, City Council members approved action prepared by Hargis to prepare revisions of the flood plain maps, which should aid in the Munoz’s efforts.
The Munoz home is located along the Deible Branch Creek.

Hargis, like Bridges, has had difficulty dealing with FEMA representatives.
“It has been a struggle to even find the right person to talk to,” Hargis said.

“They’ve put more people the flood plain than ever before. I don’t have any doubt that at least a portion of these (added to the flood plain), if not all, will be changed,” Hargis said.

In the interim, the Munozes are figuring on a flood insurance premium payment for which they did not have to pay previously.

“We’ve been quoted two policies, from $3,100 to $3,500,” Kristen Munoz said. “Another has been $1,800, which is better, but we just weren’t figuring on that kind of payment,” said Kristen Munoz, a student who is working on her doctorate degree.

“We got the letter in mid-May and we have 45 days to make the payment,” she said.
In other action, the City Council ...:

• Discussed Ward 3 Councilman Gary Hicks’ progress in discussions with mobile home park owner Floyd Huffman. Huffman, who owns Huffman Mobile Home Sales located at Missouri Route 72 and Pine Tree Road, was denied a rezoning request last month on the nearly 14-acre tract of land. City Council members and neighbors have concerns about the intent of a development on that property. Ward 4 Councilman Lou Magdits and Ward 5 Councilman Rick Morris both expressed concerns about Hicks “brokering” a deal with Huffman that may not be accepted by the Council. During a lengthy discussion, Hicks assured council members that was not his intent, and he was “acting in the best interest of the city.”

• In executive session, agreed to hire labor lawyer Ivan L. Schraeder of the Lowenbaum Partnership, LLC, of 222 South Central Ave. in St. Louis to represent the city in its dealings with city workers’ efforts to unionize. Workers seek to join the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Schraeder will be paid $175 an hour for his services.

• Approved a resolution authorizing the Emergency Shelter Grant contract with Russell House. The grant, for $8,437, was awarded from the Stewart B. McKinney Federal Grant Program administered through the Missouri Department of Social Services. It’s the 10th year the city has received the grant for the Russell House.

• Executed a Department of Economic Development grant for $71,800 to aid with Master Planning assistance of the Missouri S&T Tech Park. The City Council unanimously approved a resolution at its last meeting. The grant requires a local match ($33,929) from S&T and $17,598 from the city) but the city’s funding of the  Rolla West Master Plan will satisfy that requirement.

• Authorized the mayor’s signature to apply for a Downtown Revitalization Economic Assistance for Missouri (DREAM) program. Rolla was one of 99 communities submitting an application in 2006 and ’07. There is no fee for applying for the grant and the amount of the grant is yet to be determined, said City Development Coordinator John Petersen.

• Approved the appointment of William Lindgren to fill the unexpired term of Ryan Morris for the City Health and Recreation Center Committee, which expires in October.

• Approved the reappointment of Madison Daily to the Rolla Housing Authority Board for a four-year term.