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Brown County declares local disaster for January snowstorm to pursue FEMA reimbursement
Summary
County commissioners approved a retroactive local disaster proclamation covering Jan. 4–6 to allow snow-removal costs to be submitted for state and federal reimbursement under changed FEMA rules.
Brown County commissioners approved a local disaster proclamation covering the Jan. 4–6 snowstorm so the county can pursue state and federal reimbursement for snow-removal costs.
County staff said the state of Kansas declared a state disaster after a near-record snow event on Jan. 6 and that FEMA has revised guidance to allow snow-removal costs if the event is within 10% of the county’s recorded historical maximum snowfall. Staff told the board that Brown County met the state’s threshold for public assistance and that only five counties in the state qualified. The county must submit a local declaration and collect hours and equipment rates from each entity seeking reimbursement.
Staff reported they had already contacted local entities to collect equipment hours and rates and planned to submit the county’s packet to the state by Feb. 4. If the state and federal approvals follow, eligible entities that submitted costs are expected to receive reimbursement according to the normal state-federal cost-share process.
Commissioners moved and seconded the emergency proclamation (identified in the meeting as Proclamation 2025-07) and approved it by voice vote.
Ending: County staff will continue to gather documentation from local entities and submit the request through the state’s public-assistance process for federal review.
