Rock County outlines April 17 flood response; board approves sandbagging machines and a sheriff's office mobile app

Rock County officials presented a multi-agency account of the April 17 severe-weather event and subsequent response, then the board approved budget amendments to acquire sandbagging machines and a mobile sheriff’s office app.

County staff said total rainfall during the multi-day event ranged from 4 to 10 inches in affected areas and that three tornadoes were confirmed during assessments of approximately 623 properties. Presenters told supervisors the county saw a near-400% spike in 911 call volume (from about 147 typical daily calls to over 700 during the peak period) and credited dispatch and mutual-aid partners — including the National Guard and neighboring counties — for rapid response.

Administrator Light (who introduced the briefing) and public-safety staff described Emergency Operations Center activation on April 17, photo and aerial damage assessments, and cooperative work with state agencies as the county compiled damage estimates. Staff reported municipal and nonprofit public-assistance damage assessments of roughly $19.4 million and said FEMA’s preliminary public-assistance estimate was about $11 million; officials cautioned those numbers are preliminary and will change as FEMA and state reviews continue. The governor submitted a request for a Stafford Act federal disaster declaration on May 23; staff said a Washington, D.C., decision is pending.

Presenters also reviewed infrastructure impacts — dozens of road closures, multiple bridges with scour concerns, and specific sites such as Rockport Road and sections of County A and County WC that require substantial repairs. Public works staff said they documented roughly 350 county/town locations for damage before performing temporary or permanent repairs to preserve eligibility for reimbursement programs.

On new business, the board approved a supplementary appropriation amending 2026 budgets for the Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management to purchase sandbagging machines and develop a county sheriff mobile app. Proponents said sandbagging equipment fills a long-standing gap (the county has not owned a sandbagging machine for major storms since 2008) and an app would improve outbound public communication. The budget motion passed on a roll call vote, 25 yes, 0 no, 4 absent.

What happens next: county staff said they will continue damage documentation, coordinate with the state on FEMA submissions and Wisconsin disaster fund alternatives, and implement the purchased equipment and app according to departmental procurement and deployment timelines.