By Pepper Parr
December 16, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
For some reason getting application forms for funding under the province’s ODRAP program became a mad dash to the finish line on Monday. Some people said they didn’t even know about the program that made funds available for victims of the august 4th flood that dumped 191 mm of rain on the city during a single day.
Where have they been?
Burlington Community staff worked through the pile of applications to get everything entered into the data base the Claims Committee will work form as the approximately $2.7 million is now distributed to the flood victims.
At the close of business yesterday the Burlington Community Foundation sent an email to members of Council saying they had received 305 applications. That number may get revised when a reconciliation is done.
On Monday close to 100 applications arrived – some consisted of a box with a collection of receipts.
Forms that were complex and confusing were still being picked up on the Monday.
With $2.7 million available for distribution and 305 people applying there would be just a little under $9000 for each applicant. That is a rough approximation. The available funds will be distributed based on the merits of each application which will now be reviewed by the Claims Committee made up of Mark Preston, Preston Insurance Services; Bruce Russell, Wardell Insurance; Nancy Swietek, Dan Lawrie Insurance and Rick Burgess, Burgess Law Office. It is their job to approve a claim.
The Claims Committee now has to buckle down and basically adjudicate on each application.
Eight weeks from now they will have to have completed their task and distributed all the funds.
Colleen Mulholland, president and CEO of the BCF will be in a position to distribute some of the funds before the end of the year. Those who got their applications in early will be processed quickly.
There are still a few formal cheque presentations to be done but anything that comes in after the close of business will not get matched by the province.
The ODRAP program required a community to raise funds locally which the province agreed to match on a two for one basis.
Completing the forms was an exhaustive task. The BCF had staff on hand to help people work their way through the document. More than 300 applications were received.
To date, the people and business of Burlington raised very close to $900,000 which when matched by the provincial contribution produces $2.7 million that will now be distributed to those who filed applications before the close of business on Monday.
The funds raised locally was a mammoth effort by individuals and large corporations. Burlington’s banks came through for its customers.
There are some in the retail side that seemed to forget just who their customers are. Those selling the washers and dryers and the new furnaces perhaps didn’t know where to send their cheques.
