Storms deplete state’s emergency clean-up fund

The recent rash of severe storms across Wisconsin has caused millions of dollars in damage, and is depleting a state emergency clean-up fund.

Seven major storms across the state have left a wake of damage so far this year. Some help will come from the federal government, but other storms are bad, but not bad enough to qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency help.

State Sen. Bob Jauch’s district has been rocked by a tornado and straight-line winds, including one storm that knocked down 100,000 acres of trees, damaged hundreds of buildings and killed one person.

“So it is one of the most costly public assistance storms in northern Wisconsin in recent history,” says Jauch. “The fund that provides help only has $1.”

So the fund will be tapped out once communities file claims. The state Disaster Assistance Fund pays communities 70 percent of the cost to clean up damage.

State Rep. Nick Milroy says his district in Douglas and Burnett Counties need that help.

“In one town in my district they have upwards of a million dollars in damage,” Milroy says. “This is a real small population center. They simply don’t have the resources to pay for the clean-up.”

Jauch and Milroy want the legislature to add $2 million to the disaster fund. They hope that’ll happen in the September legislative session.

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