U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) said today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could begin preliminary work in Milwaukee County as soon as Wednesday.
“Getting FEMA here as soon as possible is critical to help us recover from this disaster.  I have no doubt that FEMA will immediately see that we’re hurting and that damage is severe.  I implore them and state officials to complete assessments swiftly so that Federal assistance can be here as soon as possible,” Moore said.
Moore, along Senators Russ Feingold (D-Wis.)and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), wrote in support of the state’s expected application for disaster assistance. FEMA will begin preliminary damage assessments that are needed for the state to formally apply for disaster assistance.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s office issued a statement today about the county’s response to the disaster.
“Several news outlets contacted me yesterday afternoon to say that the Governor's office said they had not received the necessary damage assessment reports from Milwaukee County.  Milwaukee County Emergency Management did provide the necessary information on Friday, along with the Emergency Declaration from the County Executive.  State Emergency Management confirmed receipt of our Uniform Disaster Situation Report (UDSR) and the County Executive's declaration of disaster and request for federal assistance,” Fran McLaughlin, director of communications for the Office of the Milwaukee County Executive, stated in an e-mail today. “The Governor's office subsequently sent out the attached notice, proving their comments yesterday to be erroneous and a poor attempt to put Milwaukee County in a negative light.”
Here is the text of Gov. Jim Doyle’s statement from July 26:
“State and local officials have been moving quickly since Thursday evening to respond to the damage caused by a string of severe storms. In that time Wisconsin Emergency Management has been working closely with FEMA and local officials to ensure a speedy response.
“On Friday evening, Milwaukee County submitted a preliminary damage assessment to the state, and continued working through the weekend to complete the damage assessment as quickly as possible. As of tonight the state has received updated damage assessments for Milwaukee and Grant counties, and Wisconsin Emergency Management is completing an application for federal assistance from FEMA. The application will be submitted first thing in the morning and FEMA has already indicated that they will be in Wisconsin early next week.
“I want to thank Milwaukee and Grant counties for their prompt response to this disaster. This is a top priority for everyone involved, and with a lot of people’s hard work the counties’ damage assessments were completed quicker than normal. Emergency Management will update the state’s application as damage assessments from other counties are finalized.”

Kohl’s Department Stores announced a $100,000 cash donation toward flood relief efforts in the Milwaukee area.
The American Red Cross (ARC) is delivering emergency assistance throughout the region, and Kohl’s will cover all ARC costs of the relief efforts up to $100,000.
In addition to a financial contribution, Kohl’s is encouraging its associates to volunteer in support of cleanup efforts through its associate volunteer program. In exchange for volunteer hours, Kohl’s will make corporate grants available to the nonprofit organizations being supported by Kohl’s associates.
“With our corporate headquarters and more than 7,000 associates in southeastern Wisconsin, our thoughts are with all of the families in our community dealing with losses and damages from the flooding that hit the Milwaukee area last week,” said Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board. “Kohl’s strives to be an active member of each community it serves. We feel it’s especially important to do even more at a time like this and are proud to support our hometown by providing financial assistance and the hands-on support of our associate volunteers.”
Meanwhile, the United Way of Greater Milwaukee is distributing money from its Urgent Need Fund to two agencies to help with disaster relief.
The United Way is donating $10,000 to IMPACT to increase capacity at 2-1-1, which is overwhelmed with calls in the aftermath of the flooding. The grant will allow the service to more efficiently and effectively meet the needs of callers over the next few weeks.
The United Way also is donating $5,000 to the City of Milwaukee Health Department to purchase emergency clean-up kits. The kits contain cleaning supplies, including bleach, that will help families make their homes healthy and safe. The donation will enable the purchase of 250 kits.

The Waukesha Common Council will conduct a special meeting tonight to consider its course of action in response to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources request for additional information about the city's application to gain access to water from Lake Michigan.
Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima has expressed opposition to the application, but he has refused to return several phone calls from BizTimes to comment about the issue.
A coalition of businesses and individual citizens is urging the Waukesha Common Council to reaffirm its support for the application. The group, SH2OSC (Sustainable Water Supply Coalition) wants the council to proceed with providing the DNR any requested information necessary for reviewing the application.
The group has a draft letter of support signed by more than 60 businesses and 85 individuals imploring the common council to proceed with the application for Great Lakes water.
The letter is signed by most of Waukesha’s key businesses, including Beer Capitol Distributing-Lake Country, First Business Bank, InvestorsBank, MLG, ProHealth Care, Quad/Graphics Inc., Ruekert-Mielke, SF Analytical Labs, The Schroeder Group Attorneys at Law, Tim O’Brien Homes and Waukesha Metal Products
The Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce is supporting the Great Lakes option, as is the Waukesha County Technical College.
Both the City of Waukesha and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Authority have concluded that Great Lakes water is the best option for Waukesha’s public water supply needs. 
The letter will be presented at tonight's council meeting, which will begin at 7:45 p.m.

The Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce is calling on its members to support the city’s application to obtain access to water from Lake Michigan, despite the opposition of Mayor Jeff Scrima. For more about the chamber’s stance, read today’s Milwaukee Biz Blog.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has posted three consecutive trading days of triple-digit gains, but that streak could be in jeopardy today, as the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell 50.4 this month from a revised 54.3 in June.
The new reading is the lowest for the index since February.
"Concerns about business conditions and the labor market are casting a dark cloud over consumers that is not likely to lift until the job market improves," said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board's consumer research center, in a statement. "Given consumers' heightened level of anxiety, along with their pessimistic income outlook and lackluster job growth, retailers are very likely to face a challenging back-to-school season."
The largest local gainers in the BizTimes Stock Index this morning were Rockwell Automation Inc. (up 34 cents to $56.12) and Weyco Group Inc. (up 34 cents to $25.23). The largest local decliners this morning were Bucyrus International Inc. (down $2.81 to $59. 26) and Joy Global Inc. (down $1.94 to $57.51).

The National Association of Women Business Owners Greater Milwaukee (NAWBO GM) today announced its new board of directors.
The new board is led by president Lisa Gehrke of Gehrke & Associates SC, Wauwatosa. The past president is Kris Maegli of Career Strategies Inc. New Berlin.
The other members of the board include: treasurer, historian and development director Suzanne Denzine of Kolb + Co., Brookfield; secretary Stephanie Scherzberg of Dettlaff & Company Inc., Brookfield; program co-director Karen Suminski of National City Bank, Milwaukee;; program co-director Jennifer Walther of Mawicke & Goisman S.C., Milwaukee; communications director Valerie Johnson of Kolb+Co Financial Advisers, LLC, Brookfield; community outreach director Lisa Wise of Blue Iris Graphics, West Bend; membership co-director Sue Sattler, Talent Network Group, Waukesha; membership co-director Lindsey Kreske, Ameriprise Financial, Milwaukee; and legislative director Jennifer Walther, Mawicke & Goisman S.C., Milwaukee.
The NAWBO GM fosters the stability, growth and high standards of women entrepreneurs by providing education, networking and support.

The controversy over a proposed wood-burning energy plant in Rothschild pits neighbors against neighbors. Residents and officials there are being forced to decide whether their concerns about biomass' environmental effects overrule the promise of badly needed jobs and a chance to support the advancement of renewable energy. Read more in today’s edition of the BizTimes Wisconsin Morning Headlines.

Lou Banach, group senior vice president of commercial lending for southeastern Wisconsin at Associated Bancorp, sees opportunities ahead. To view a webcast video interview of Banach, read the new edition of the BizTimes Money Weekly bulletin.