Napa County flood damage estimates are holding at more than $135 million, but are expected to climb as more data becomes available.

Meanwhile, a one-stop flood assistance center opened Wednesday to provide myriad services following the New Year's Eve flood.

The center, located on the Health and Human Services campus at 2261 Elm Street, off Old Sonoma Road, will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week until at least Jan. 27. Services will be available in English and Spanish.

Among those represented are various county agencies, the Volunteer Center and Red Cross, with participation expected from the state's Office of Emergency Services. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Small Business Administration will also become involved if President George Bush signs the federal disaster proclamation currently pending.

Assistant County CEO Britt Ferguson said there was no new word on the status of that declaration following Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's visit Monday when he set the wheels in motion.

"This center will give residents harmed by the flood convenient access to a range of governmental and non-governmental supportive services and resources," said HHS Director Randy Snowden. "Assistance could range from basic needs such as food and shelter to financial assistance for residents or businesses or debris removal."

Flood victims may be eligible for cash aid, food stamps or medical assistance. In addition, counseling services, well water testing and public health services are available.

An Upvalley assistance center is being operated by the Red Cross at 1474 Oak Street in St. Helena where the phone number is 963-2717.

Damage figures refined

County Assessor John Tuteur is gathering damage figures and said he is still awaiting details from most Upvalley communities and American Canyon, although the lion's share of damage was in the city of Napa.

Napa reports private sector damage at $20 million to residences, $25 million to local businesses and $5 million to other buildings. Public facilities in the city suffered $42.6 million in damages.

Tuteur said property owners can file calamity reassessment claims, which have a $10,000 minimum in reassessed value, but he doesn't expect a lot of activity there, nor will there be much impact on property tax revenues due to the disaster.

Unincorporated areas of the county totaled $38,985,000 in damages.

Added to the residential and business totals is agricultural damage, now put at $32.5 million. Debris cleanup, replanting, levee breaches and loss of production all contributed to that figure.

Any damage to Napa Sanitation District facilities has not yet been included.

St. Helena disaster

Meanwhile, in the hard-hit city of St. Helena, the City Council is expected to ratify its city manager's decision to declare a state of emergency at a short meeting Friday night.

City Manager Bert Johansson said by law the council would have to formally ratify his action within seven days, and despite the fact that St. Helena escaped major flooding, Johansson wants to declare a state of emergency on the heels of the governor's visit to place St. Helena in line for state and federal reimbursement dollars to fix the roads, waste treatment facilities and any other infrastructure that may have been damaged in the flood.

Johansson said Pratt Avenue flooded, but because residents elevated their homes after the 1995 St. Helena flood, no water entered the homes. Vineyard Valley Mobile Home Park, a prime victim of floods in the past, barely escaped major damage as well because its flood wall held.

"We lucked out by the skin our teeth on this one," Johansson said. "Another half hour of rain would have been a whole different ball game."

Johansson believes St. Helena will be less lucky before the rainy season is through, given that some of the wettest months are still ahead.

"Had the storm that hit Napa hit us, we'd be talking $30 million in losses," he said. The Napa River rose to its highest level in history in St. Helena on Saturday.

Monticello Road closure

In other news, Monticello Road will remain closed during daytime hours through Friday while Caltrans crews continue to clean up a monstrous, half-mile long mud slide.

"The hill came down," said Caltrans spokeswoman Lauren Wonder. "It was a pretty large amount of material."

The slide is just west of the intersection of Monticello Road (Highway 121) and Wooden Valley Road.

She said mud, trees and other debris broke loose during the storm that caused flooding on the valley floor.

The closure, she said, will be on and off from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

KVON radio

KVON radio, which has been off the air due to downed transmitters, will host a special flood information and call-in show today and Friday.

Host Dan Monez will interview officials involved in the flood cleanup and recovery, including representatives from local government, the flood district and the Volunteer Center.

The program will be from 4 to 6 p.m. each day on KVON, 1440 AM. The station is operating on reduced power due to transmitter flooding.

For more information, call KVON at 252-1440.