Brown County commission declares local disaster emergency after severe storms

Brown County commissioners on June 8 voted to adopt Resolution 2026-18, declaring a local state of disaster emergency following heavy storms that damaged roads, bridges and private infrastructure.

The resolution, discussed at length during the meeting, formally follows a verbal activation the county reported to the state on Friday at 2:37 p.m., county staff said. Staff urged township officials and landowners to photograph washed-out roads, blocked bridges, structural damage to private terraces and ponds, and any cleanup costs so those losses can be included in the county’s aggregate damage tally to meet the state threshold for disaster assistance.

Brandon (staff member) described the scope of damage and the documentation process, saying the county is recording cleanup time, material volume and other costs to support the claim. He explained that the county’s seven-day reporting window had begun but can be extended if needed and recommended that residents forward documentation to the county’s emergency-management contact so it may be compiled for submission to the state.

County counselor Austin confirmed he had drafted a notice of the emergency declaration for publication in the county’s newspapers and suggested the county website be used as a public information point to route questions and forms to the appropriate contact.

The commission moved to approve the resolution, and the motion carried with three affirmative voices. The Chair signed the document during the meeting so staff could proceed with publication and outreach.

Why it matters: The declaration triggers state-level visibility for Brown County’s disaster losses and allows the county to pursue state and potentially federal assistance if aggregate damage meets program thresholds. The commission directed staff to centralize reporting and public information to ensure eligible damages are captured.