The City of Kalona is working with Wellman and Riverside to improve its chances of receiving a grant from the Department of Natural Resources. The grant would finance an urban assessment in the three cities.
The study would look at infrastructure like curbs, gutters and ditches to pinpoint areas that need work. City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh says with that information, they could begin planning small scale projects that would improve drainage and reduce the impact of flooding.
Kalona is in the process of applying for a number of grants to finance such projects. To assist with the time consuming task of writing grants, the Kalona City Council has approved a contract with floodplain manager, Steve Lafaurie. He started on Monday.