Marathon County officials outline FEMA individual assistance, open SBA help centers and decline to appeal public-assistance denial

Marathon County public information officer Sarah told the county board on July 15 that a presidential disaster declaration signed June 30 has allowed FEMA individual assistance and U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loans to begin reaching residents affected by the April 13–23 storms.

The declaration followed Governor Evers’ May 22 request for federal help for multiple Wisconsin counties. "Individual assistance is available in the forms of grants from FEMA or low-interest loans from the SBA," Sarah said, adding that homeowners and renters may qualify for FEMA money for temporary housing, basic home repairs and other uninsured disaster-related expenses. She said applicants must file an insurance claim first so FEMA can coordinate with insurers to determine any remaining needs.

County staff also described local access points for help. Sarah said a Business Recovery Center opened July 13 at the Marathon County Public Library Wausau headquarters and is staffed Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to help businesses, nonprofits, homeowners and renters apply for SBA loans. A Disaster Recovery Center opened at the Town of Ringle Municipal Center and is staffed Monday–Friday 1:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. by FEMA and SBA representatives to assist applicants in person.

"The DRC is staffed with representatives from FEMA as well as the Small Business Administration," Sarah said, encouraging residents who need help to visit those centers or apply online at disasterassistance.gov. She added the county is coordinating with public libraries to provide computer access and staff assistance for applicants.

Sarah reported that, as of that morning, FEMA had received 24 applications from Marathon County residents, four of which were filed the previous day. She urged board members to share the county's recovery resource page (marathoncounty.gov/ia), which lists DRC and BRC hours, application guides, required documents and other instructions.

On public assistance — aid for public infrastructure such as debris removal and road repairs — Sarah said Marathon County had been denied, along with Bayfield, Manitowoc and Racine counties. She gave the public-assistance per-capita threshold for Marathon County as $670,743.18 and said the county’s calculated damages totaled about $271,000, below the threshold. "Therefore, we have shared with WEM that we don't desire to move forward with an appeal being that we don't meet that required threshold," she said.

When Supervisor Roy Robinson asked about insurance settlements and whether the county should extend deadlines related to properties that may be demolished, county staff said they had no recent follow-up from Town of Ringle representatives and would reach out to clarify local timelines and tipping-fee deadlines.

A county staff member added a procedural clarification for outreach: "If you hear from residents that, 'Oh, Marathon County got denied public assistance, so I can't apply,' please tell them no. Public assistance is for governmental-entity assistance. Individuals still can apply and [we] encourage them to apply," the staff member said. The county also pointed supervisors to free legal consultation through the State Bar of Wisconsin and the state commission on insurance as resources for residents working with insurers.

The county said it will continue daily coordination calls with Wisconsin Emergency Management, FEMA and the SBA and update the recovery web page as new information becomes available.

Next steps for residents: file an insurance claim before applying for FEMA assistance, apply online at disasterassistance.gov or visit the local BRC/DRC for help, and check marathoncounty.gov/ia for current hours and guidance.