A Recap of this week's Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids meeting and the RRCT in the City of Cedar Rapids ...

Here's Ripples on the Rapids' editor Larry H. Christy's recap of the program for the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids meeting on August 24, 2009.

JIM PROSSER (CEDAR RAPIDS CITY MANAGER), LOIS BUNTZ (UNITED WAY OF EAST CENTRAL IOWA) & PEGGY WHITWORTH (ARTS & CULTURE REPRESENTATIVE)
RECOVERY & REINVESTMENT COORDINATING TEAM (RRCT)

The Recovery & Reinvestment Coordinating Team (RRCT) was formed because a coordinated community response to the 2008 Flood was a necessity. Planning for short term recovery and long term reinvestment in the community was needed. The purpose of the group is to build a greater community for today and future generations by identifying, evaluating and offering alternative perspectives on those issues and problems to the appropriate decision making bodies.

The RRCT is not a city commission. Like the Economic Planning and Redevelopment Corporation (ERPC), The RRCT is not an organization that will overtake any authority of the City and/or County government. Its membership represents key stakeholders in the response and recovery effort and has evolved based on need. Meetings of the RRCT are open to the public and open to the media. It makes recommendations.

Government members include the C ity of Cedar Rapids, Linn County and the Cedar Rapids Schools. Non-profit representation includes the United Way, Convention & Visitors Bureau and the arts and culture sector. Business is represented by the Cedar Rapids Chamber, Downtown District, small business ownership and the Economic Planning and Redevelopment Corporation (EPRC). The community is represented by the Affordable Housing Network, and Neighborhood Associations. Labor has a rotating membership and the Cedar Rapids Flood Recovery Director is a participant as well as several Ad Hoc members including landlords, legislative representatives, FEMA, SBA and the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The RRCT areas of focus include flood protection, economic recovery, facility replacement, human services, funding and communications. Perceived results have included a coordinated needs assessment, case management systems, better customer service, coordinated communications, evaluation of g r ant opportunities, faster delivery of federal and state funds to those in need and reduced administrative costs.

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The RRCT is playing an important role in Flood Recovery and some believe it is playing a role in policy in the City of Cedar Rapids too, which has some people concerned. The RRCT is not a City Commission. Does it maintain minutes of all activities? One community advocate has commented it should. Clark Rieke has been attending the meetings and says they don't. The RRCT is open to the public and open to the media, but questions regarding access lead community leader Carol Martin to check a RRCT meeting earlier in the year, Martin commented.

For more information:

[PDF] R R C T (RRCT) - United States Chamber of Commerce
Aug 27, 2008 ... In immediate response to the flood, the City of Cedar Rapids established a Recovery and Reinvestment Coordinating Team (RRCT) to ...

Robin Tucker