(Radio Iowa) — Residents in the unincorporated areas of Mills County have another week to submit their names for buyouts of their flooded properties. County Public Information Officer Sheri Bowen says the County Board of Supervisors set October 11th at 4:30 p-m as the final deadline to meet state requirements for submitting its application for funding.

“For us to move forward on actually sending our application int to the state of Iowa — we have to firmly know what properties are included,” Bowen says. “So, we have determined that we have to set a deadline so that we know who’s interested, and exactly which properties will include, so that we can submit that application as timely as possible.”

There are 73 residents who have signed up for the program so far and they’ve had some people who have changed their minds. She encourages anyone thinking about it to sign up. “Now is the time if people are interested in considering it as a possibility. We need to get your name on that sign-up list. We need to have your signature on some authorization forms in order to be included on the application,” she says.

Bowen says putting your name on the sign-up list doesn’t obligate you to go ahead with the program… “This is a voluntary process on both the part of the homeowner, and on the county’s part,” said Bowen. “At any point along here, that homeowner can say, ‘no, I don’t want to be included’,” according to Bowen. “So, just putting your name on the list basically just lets your property be considered.”

Residents can place their name on the list by calling the Mills County Auditor’s Office at 712-527-3146.