(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says portable classrooms being set up for students in Rock Valley will have a different use once repairs to the community’s flood damaged schools are completed. “The entire schools, both public and private, were wiped out — the K-12 — so we found a temporary classroom that we believe, when we’re done, we’ll be able to set up and use them for child care facilities in some of our rural areas, too,” Reynolds says, “so we found a dual purpose.”

The governor was asked about Iowa’s string of severe weather during her appearance at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) conference in Colorado. She said Iowa Department of Transportation dump trucks have made several thousand trips to haul away debris from flood-ravaged neighborhoods. “People’s belongings that were on the curb,” Reynolds said, “and that brought some hope to them because they had to stare at that every day.”

Governor Reynolds, on right, with ALEC CEO Lisa B. Nelson at the group’s annual convention in Colorado. (ALEC photo)

While the vast majority of direct government assistance for Iowa flood victims is coming from the federal government, Reynolds says an agreement among states is filling a few gaps. It’s called the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. “We’ve had electricians come in from some of the states just to help,” the governor said.

At least 5000 Iowa homes have been damaged by tornadoes and flooding this spring and summer and state officials say 2000 homes have been completely destroyed.