Newly certified county emergency manager outlines storm‑damage reimbursements; county documents over $600,000 in damages

Troy, the county’s emergency manager, told commissioners he completed extensive federal emergency‑management training and updated Hubbard County’s emergency operations plan (EOP). He said the EOP update helped prepare staff for a recent storm response and noted state and federal reimbursement processes.

Troy reported that the county and townships have submitted reimbursement requests and that Hubbard County is likely sitting at more than $600,000 in documented damages across county entities, with the highway department and natural resources among the largest claimants. He explained the state’s process: jurisdictions must show proof of payment for eligible debris‑management and repair costs before receiving reimbursement and that the window to submit expenses is one year from the governor’s emergency declaration.

Troy also described lessons learned for large‑scale debris management: counties and townships should adopt policies that allow outside national resources to assist (national crews can cut and stack debris but may not haul it), identify strategic debris staging sites in advance, and consider chipping programs rather than burning to meet environmental and recovery needs. He said he will run regular township training and peer reviews and that the county’s GIS tools (Survey123) are available to document damages and streamline submissions to the state.

Commissioners thanked Troy and discussed deadlines, township capacity, and options to coordinate debris staging regionally.