Williamson County extends disaster declaration, approves landfill vouchers after July 5 floods

Williamson County Commissioners on July 5 voted to extend a local disaster proclamation for 60 days and approved landfill vouchers for properties damaged in the July 5 flooding as the county works to link residents and infrastructure repairs to federal disaster assistance.

The county judge moved to extend a local disaster proclamation beyond the initial seven-day period to 60 days to allow for ongoing damage assessment and cleanup; the court approved the extension 4-0. County staff reported that FEMA has approved an individual-assistance declaration for parts of the region and that Williamson County is pursuing inclusion in FEMA's public-assistance program for infrastructure damage.

County emergency management staff reported an initial, unverified estimate of about $34,000,000 in uninsured public-property damage affecting roads, bridges, water-control facilities, utilities and parks. Damage assessments for residences within the flood footprint identified 29 homes destroyed, 27 with major damage (56 homes displaced in those categories), 24 with minor damage and…