Sandbag central

COUNTY – The Waupaca County Emergency Management Committee approved the purchase of 100,000 sandbags last week as officials await federal aid following a string of severe weather events.

During a meeting last week, Emergency Management Director Zac Van Asten reported the county is in a “stalemate” after rushing to meet a tight weekend deadline to submit damage assessments to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Van Asten said that the FEMA request is “on the president’s desk.” If approved, federal funding could become available through FEMA’s Individual Assistance and Public Assistance programs. Until a decision is made, Van Asten said local officials can do little but wait.

“I know FEMA is closed on what they want to say just because they don’t want people to get a false hope, but also we’ve got to give them some transparency on what’s going on,” Van Asten said.

Van Asten said a FEMA determination could take months.

“However, my office along with the state is actively working to prepare for a decision,” he said. “If we are approved we will be setting up a resource center within the county for residents to go and speak with federal agencies and community partners.”

If the county does not receive FEMA funding, Van Asten said the Wisconsin Disaster Fund (WDF) would be the next source of aid. The program reimburses local governments for 70% of eligible expenses incurred while responding to and recovering from a disaster.

The county has faced a barrage of weather events this year, including a record-setting snow storm, an ice storm and extensive flooding. It was noted at the meeting that the county is nearing $2 million in anticipated disaster reimbursements for 2026. In comparison, Waupaca County received a total of only about $1.3 million in combined state and federal reimbursements from WDF and FEMA over the previous 25 years.

Emergency Management Deputy Director Eric Halverson said that even if a presidential disaster declaration unlocks federal Individual Assistance, FEMA will not make residents whole for their property damage and payouts are capped at an estimated $45,000 to $55,000 per household. The federal program operates on a reimbursement basis, requiring documentation, invoices and receipts for all repairs.

The recent flooding required a massive logistical response, with the county utilizing more than 100,000 sandbags. Municipalities are billed for the sandbags so the county is reimbursed for the cost.

To restock the local cache, the committee unanimously approved a motion to purchase 100,000 new empty sandbags at a negotiated price of 12 cents per bag. Because the county secured a lower price than the state’s current rate of 14 cents, the county has the option to sell surplus bags back to the state at cost or profit.

Van Asten also spoke about the disposal of used sandbags, noting they are now considered hazardous material. Because floodwaters forced wastewater treatment plants to divert raw sewage, the bags are contaminated with fecal matter.

Van Asten said individual homeowners can dump the sandbags on their property. Municipalities must haul the bags to landfills or coordinate safe disposal with the Department of Natural Resources.