The Mabel Common Council approved an application process for distributing donated disaster-relief funds and directed that the Community Development Authority (CDA) review applications and apply selection criteria.

Staff presented an application included in the meeting packet. During discussion council members agreed to include categories such as tree replacement, tree removal, insurance deductibles, household losses not covered by insurance, and displacement. Council recorded the fund balance as $26,883 and discussed proposing a maximum award of $500 per household to spread funds across more residents. The council also set an application deadline of Oct. 15 and asked staff to produce a storm-path map to define a designated area of eligibility; the chief described the storm path approximately as residences south of Porticott Street through an area near the cemetery and golf course.

Councilmembers discussed whether to weight awards or limit distribution to the most heavily affected properties; one speaker suggested opening remaining funds to residents outside the initial designated area if applications from the most affected area did not exhaust the fund. The council agreed the CDA, which has citizen representation, should review applications and make award decisions consistent with adopted criteria. The council approved the application process and timeline by motion; the meeting record shows the motion carried.

Staff and council also discussed coordinating the disaster fund with an existing city tree-planting cost-share program that budgets about $10,000 annually to help residents plant trees (city pays half of tree cost). The final application materials were to be updated and posted once the storm-area map is finalized.