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Griggs County submits damage assessments to FEMA after windstorm; towns declared emergencies
Summary
County emergency management collected damage assessments after a late-June windstorm and submitted them to state FEMA coordinators. Cooperstown and Hannaford reported damages that met or exceeded the county threshold for a possible declaration; officials warned that FEMA rules separate private-property damage and public cleanup.
Griggs County emergency management staff and commissioners briefed the commission on July 8 about the county's damage-assessment submissions to state and federal disaster officials after a recent windstorm.
Josh (emergency management) said the storm response began immediately and the county asked township and city officials to assemble damage-cost estimates. He said there was confusion over whether privately owned damage should be included in the county submission, but county staff were told by state officials to "submit everything" and the state would sort public and private items later. Josh said the county’s threshold for inclusion in a FEMA declaration is roughly $10,800 and that Cooperstown’s initial submission met that threshold; Hannaford’s damages were reported "well over $40,000." The county submitted multiple photo-documented damage assessments and hour logs to the state.
Officials cautioned that FEMA typically requires removal of privately owned debris to the curb by the property owner or a contractor under FEMA rules; municipalities sometimes pick up curbside debris and may be reimbursed for that work. Josh said the county and cities declared emergencies to access local emergency funds for immediate cleanup bills, and some communities can claim staff time spent compiling damage reports for possible reimbursement (he cited $25–$35 per hour as a possible FEMA reimbursement rate for documentation work).
Why it matters: If the state requests a federal disaster declaration and FEMA approves eligible public damage, the county and municipalities may be reimbursed for eligible expenses such as debris removal from public rights-of-way; private property cleanup is treated separately under FEMA rules and often requires private contractors.
Next steps: County staff said they will continue to coordinate with the state and FEMA, and submit reimbursements for eligible public work and staff time; officials warned there is no guarantee the state or FEMA will fund all or any submitted damage items.
