$125,000: What the May 22, 2011 Tornado Cost the City of Fridley

It took the May 22, 2011 tornado less than an hour to wreak havoc enough to wrack up $125,000 in expenses for the City of Fridley. Then it took almost a year for the federal and state governments to reimburse Fridley for those costs.

But now they have, almost.

Fridley Finance Director Darin Nelson said by email Monday that only last week did reimbursements covering most of the public-infrastructure damage from last spring's tornado arrive from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

The FEMA aid became available after on June 7, 2011. (, including visits from alll three of Fridley's representatives in Congress.)

The Numbers
Here is how those reimbursements broke down, according to Nelson:

We received $77,245.47 from FEMA and $23,173.64 from MN DPS.  DPS has not finalized the city’s project completion and certification report yet. I am expecting to receive approximately an additional $15–16,000 from FEMA and DPS when the certification report is finalized. FEMA is paying for 75% of our expenditures and the State is picking up the remaining 25%.

And here is how the costs broke down (links added):

$43,475.40 – Costs associated with for city residents, including hauling material to . 

$3,336.88 & $16,282.56 – [Fridley] Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) owned residence that the HRA was in the process of selling.  Costs to repair roof and other structural repairs associated with a fallen tree.

$42,492.61 – This includes an array of items including ball field lighting, fencing, park shelter roof repairs, bleacher replacements, & dugout repair.

$20,167.01 – Protective measures were for and the the tornado. This include[s] police and fire time to respond, rescue, and secure the damaged area along with public works employees clearing streets so that emergency personnel could gain access to all residences. 

According to a new Star Tribune tally, the tornado's total cost exceeded $80 million. That includes $6 million in federal aid and $64 million in insurance payments, and expenses covered by donations from foundations and corporations, including $50,000 from the Medtronic Foundation to the Red Cross.