Columbia’s storm emergency declaration is the first in more than a decade

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia has issued just its second emergency declaration in the last 15 years.

The City of Columbia declared a disaster on Monday after the National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down Sunday in northeast Columbia.

Then-city manager John Glascock signed a disaster declaration on March 20, 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. That declaration was rescinded more than a year later, on May 29, 2021.

A local emergency declaration is often the first step in getting aid from the state and federal governments for disaster cleanup, if the cost of the damage is high enough.

First, local officials will assess the damage and submit their findings to the governor. Then, the governor sends a request for federal assistance to the president by sending a formal disaster declaration.

The president will then decide whether a major disaster or emergency declaration will be approved. If it is federal aid will be given.

It's not clear yet how much the storm damage repair and cleanup will cost the city government. Columbia's recycling processing center was damaged, as was a reactor at the city landfill that generates electricity from landfill gas.

Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick said the county would need to tally more than $866,000 in uninsured and underinsured damage to get assistance. With estimates of the cost to repair the recycling facility still out, it's not clear whether the county will reach that level.

According to Kendrick, the city's recycling plant is insured for about $5.7 million. If rebuilding cost go beyond that the county could possibly reach that threshold.

For state assistance, Missouri must meet a public assistance damage threshold of over $11 million.

Missouri has had severe weather across the state, but the state emergency management agency reports other counties have not reached that threshold, Kendrick said in an email Tuesday.

 "At this point, I am not optimistic that Boone County or the State of Missouri will meet the federal thresholds for a disaster declaration. However, this may change pending the outcome of the City of Columbia’s insurance adjustment later this week," Kendrick said.

The insurance provider will be in Columbia Thursday to assess the damage.

"We will continue to monitor developments closely and provide updates as more accurate damage and insurance data becomes available," Kendrick added.

High-power electric lines operated by Columbia Water and Light were also brought down in the storm.

The city has suspended recycling indefinitely and closed all eight of its recycling drop-off locations.

Residents are urged to hold onto their recyclables for now while the city figures out what next steps it's going to take.

According to the city, plans for a new recycling facility were already in the works, as the current plant off Paris Road in northeast Columbia was built in 2002 and is operated manually. City officials say they planned to have a new facility built by 2027 or 2028, but now that timeline may be expedited following the recent storm damage.

After a study, the new facility will likely be built in the landfill area and is expected to be automated, according to the city.

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