Man-Tra-Con still looking for flood recovery workers

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Man-Tra-Con took pre-applications for temporary flood recovery jobs at Harrisburg City Hall on Tuesday.

However, the organization still is looking for temporary flood workers.

The organization is sharing in a grant to Illinois intended to help workers who lost their jobs during the severe spring storms and flooding and help the long-term unemployed find some work.

Eighteen people came to City Hall to begin the application process, Man-Tra-Con Career Specialist Brian Stoner said. Five more have applied online.

"We are still going to have positions open in Harrisburg," Stoner said.

Stoner urged eligible people to apply for flood cleanup jobs online. There are labor and possibly clerical positions still open, he said.

In order to be eligible for jobs, people must be long-term dislocated workers who lost a job within two years, have been out of work at least 12 of the last 26 months or were put out of work due to spring flooding. Temporary workers may work up to 1040 hours, until they receive $12,000 in wages or work for six months. The work does not eliminate unemployment benefits, which may be extended after the temporary work period ends.

Harrisburg Water Superintendent Ron Fearheiley has said the major flood-related construction project for the city is cleaning out and shaping about 2 miles of the Pankey Branch drainage ditch south of the sewerage treatment plant to Sloan Street. The north portion of Pankey Branch has been cleaned. The city likely will take on other projects while the labor force is in place.

-- People interested in participating may fill out a pre-application form at the Web site http://www.mantracon.org/new_flood_recovery.htm.