The Menasha Common Council approved another $1.2 million Aug. 10 for cleanup after the July 27 tornado as they start preparing to ask for financial assistance from federal and state authorities.
The resolution, passed 8-0, increases the spending limit for disaster cleanup to $1.9 million. Previously the limit was $615,000, approved Aug. 3, but according to the resolution text, the city is nearing that limit. The additional funding increases the spending limit for debris and tree removal and waterway cleanup, and it adds $471,000 for a contractor, Tetra Tech Inc., to gather and analyze data for potential reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Menasha mayor Austin Hammond said in the meeting that hiring a contractor for this purpose is “very common” and that Neenah had already engaged one. Of the new spending limits, $594,000 is going to DTAK Debris Removal, a New London contractor the city has hired for debris cleanup.
In the meantime, finance director Jennifer Sassman said during the meeting that the city is looking at securing “interim financing” to help with cash flow. Hammond said that many of the items in the resolution could be reimbursed through federal and state assistance, while Sassman also said the city is working on an insurance claim for damage to some city-owned property, like playgrounds and pavilions.
On the same day the resolution passed, Wisconsin governor Tony Evers said in a statement Aug. 10. he had asked FEMA to start a formal federal damage assessment. This is the first step towards a federal major disaster declaration. From there, federal, state and local officials will work together to determine the extent of the damage and what, if any, federal assistance is needed.
Once the assessment is finished, then Evers would submit a request for a major disaster declaration. If President Trump declares the disaster, then federal funding through FEMA would become available. The process can take time: for April flooding in northeast Wisconsin, including in New London and Shiocton, some counties became eligible for funding in July.
Rebecca Loroff is a K-12 education reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. She welcomes story tips and feedback. Contact her at rloroff@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Menasha increases storm cleanup budget to $1.9 million
Reporting by Rebecca Loroff, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
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By Rebecca Loroff, Appleton Post-Crescent | USA TODAY Network
