Disaster relief funds recommended for Douglas County

The Board of Examiners on Tuesday recommended approval of a $231,664 grant to Douglas County to reimburse costs resulting from the July 2015 flash flooding there.

Douglas County commissioners issued an emergency declaration on July 8 of that year because of severe flooding in the Stephanie Way and Johnson Lane area. County officials said storms carried large amounts of water and debris across the area, damaging county maintained roads, access roads, ditches and culverts. More than 437 private homeowners were impacted by the flooding.

State and county officials estimated total damage to county and private property in excess of $2.2 million.

The damage didn’t qualify for federal FEMA or state disaster status but officials say it did qualify for funding from the state Disaster Relief Account.

“We don’t see these very often,” said state Finance Director Jim Wells.

He said the county submitted invoices from that flooding totaling $463,327 and, under state statute, is eligible to apply for 50 percent of that amount form the Disaster Relief Fund — $231,664.

The final decision, including whether that amount is a grant as recommended by Gov. Brian Sandoval or a loan will be decided by the Interim Finance Committee next month.

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