Published on June 10, 2024
During Monday’s board meeting, Weld County Commissioners unanimously approved a disaster declaration in response to the flooding event that occurred Tuesday, May 28, and severely impacted downtown and eastern Greeley (and surrounding areas), as well as portions of Milliken and Johnstown. The county’s disaster declaration supports the City of Greeley’s declaration (which was passed at their council meeting Tuesday, June 4) and follows the state’s process for examining whether state assistance can be made available for residents in their recovery efforts. The May 28 storm, which dumped 2” hail and a month’s worth of rain in just two hours, severely impacted homes, businesses, government buildings and roads. As part of the damage assessment being conducted by city officials, along with Weld County Office of Emergency Management (WCOEM) staff, information from those impacted by the storm is being gathered and estimated damage amounts are being compiled. To date, 279 personal properties and businesses have been included in the damage report as well as 77 government buildings and public infrastructure totaling approximately $3.4M in damage from the storm. Depending on the estimated dollar amount reported from the storm, state assistance may be available to help residents with their recovery efforts. “The dollar amount in damage that has to be reached in order to be eligible for recovery assistance is rather high, which is why we are asking the public to provide information and photos through the county’s damage assessment program,” said WCOEM Director Roy Rudisill. Reporting damage information into the program is for county informational purposes only (this reporting is completely separate from any reporting to insurance companies) and can be done online at https://report-co-weld.orioncentral.com/. And, as with any disaster, residents are asked to proceed with caution when hiring contractors anxious to offer repair services. Greeley’s website contains helpful tips when looking for contractors, as well as a list of organizations providing a variety of services impacted residents may need. Please visit https://greeleygov.com/emergency-response for that information.