A video to highlight concerns in Small Business recovery due to the Flood of 2008 ...

The Gazette pictured the above photo of the now abandoned South Side tavern business impacted by the Flood of 2008 ...

Former Cedar Rapidian and current Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has contributed to a new fundraising video for the Cedar Rapids Small Business Recovery group per a story today in our local paper. The video will debut on June 9, 2009.

The online story in The Gazette dated June 4, 2009 features a story titled Warner warns of business failures on Cedar Rapids flood video as he delivers the collected voice of the Cedar Rapids Small Business Recovery group.

"The U.S. Department of Labor has estimates 40 percent of the businesses that
have reopened — about 300 — could be closing down for good over the next two
years because they can’t manage their debt burdens." - Gary Ficken, president of
Cedar Rapids Small Business Recovery

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa Recovery and Reinvestment Coordinating Team (RRCT) Flood Recovery for the period June 13, 2008 – March 13, 2009 has issued a report titled Flood Recovery Progress Report: Nine Months. Further, the United States Chamber of Commerce has provided support through the Business Civic Leadership Center.

Everyone in Cedar Rapids has been impacted in some way by the Flood of 2008.

Our business location was impacted by the loss of steam service, due to the Flood of 2008. Fortunately, we didn't get any water at our business location at 613 Second Avenue SE.

On Monday, June 16, 2008, after the Flood of 2008 had crested on June 13, the civil authority didn't allow us to resume operations for that day. Ironically, we received FedEx shipments during the Thursday, June 12Th and Friday, June 13Th of the Flood.

We did resume on Tuesday, after the Flood. We saw our power go out during the Flood. Services were interrupted at times in the early days of Flood Recovery. Lost power knocked out our Internet, e-mail, our phones, voice mail and everything else runs on electricity. Thankfully, we stayed dry in 2008, but most of our former locations over the nearly 65 years of business in Cedar Rapids for our family were directly impacted by the Flood.

When you look at the combination of the financial crisis, the change in the City
government, the historical Flood of 2008, and our changing culture; at times,
one is reminded of the movie: The Perfect Storm. - Robin Tucker

By the way, fellow Cedar Rapids Local Home Rule Charter Commission member Leonard Hadley, who is a former chairman and CEO of Maytag Corp., narrated the epilogue for the video, The Gazette reported. I had the pleasure of serving with Leonard Hadley on the 2004-05 Charter Commission.

Robin Tucker