Kootenai County commissioners voted Dec. 23 to extend a disaster declaration tied to a recent windstorm to ensure access to response and recovery resources while damage assessments continue.

Miss Westberg of the county’s Office of Emergency Management told the board the chair’s initial disaster declaration (issued Dec. 17) was valid for seven days and that OEM requested continuation because "damage assessment is still ongoing, and the final cost estimates have not been fully compiled." She reported that the most recent damage assessment the county received from the local electric utility (recorded in the transcript as "Kootenay Electric") estimated damages at "a little bit over $1,000,000." The board approved resolutions extending the declaration.

OEM staff said the extension would help secure cost-recovery pathways and ensure state and federal resources remain available during cleanup and recovery operations. Commissioners voted to approve both the chair’s declaration and the board’s subsequent resolution extending the emergency declaration.

Staff did not present a final, itemized damage estimate at the meeting; OEM indicated assessments remain in progress and final cost totals would be provided as they are compiled.