DeWine approves winter storm assistance

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Van Wert County and Mercer County are two of 11 Ohio counties that Governor Mike DeWine has authorized the use of the State Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) to support areas that were significantly impacted by severe winter storms that occurred between January 24-27.

The 11 counties are:

• Butler
• Darke
• Greene
• Madison
• Mercer
• Muskingum
• Perry
• Preble
• Tuscarawas
• Van Wert
• Warren

Locally, snow began to fall on the evening of January 24 and continued non-stop for about 24 hours. 9.6 inches of snow came down in Van Wert and that, along with high winds, made roads treacherous. Governor DeWine declared a state of emergency due to the conditions. Many schools were closed on Monday and/or Tuesday due to lingering road conditions.

The State Disaster Relief Program is a reimbursement program that can be used in instances where storm damage amounts do not meet the threshold for federal assistance but do meet state program requirements. This program is intended to provide supplemental state assistance to local governments and eligible private non-profit organizations for costs associated with certain damage repairs, debris removal, and emergency protective measures.

The SDRP is authorized for counties whose damages meet a countywide per capita indicator. Governor DeWine’s authorization allows the Ohio Emergency Management Agency to request the funding from the Ohio Controlling Board.