BROOKINGS – Brookings County commissioners addressed a number of storm-related topics at Tuesday’s meeting, including updates on damage throughout the area, waiving building permit fees and more.
The commission voted to rescind the burn ban it enacted on April 19 due to dry conditions.
Conditions have improved since then with additional moisture, Brookings County Emergency Manager Bob Hill reported.
Due to “wet weather conditions and the need to burn trees, Brookings County Fire Chief Association Chairperson Dave Jacobson contacted my office and requested that we redact the burn ban,” Hill said.
Commissioners voted 4-0 to rescind the burn ban, with Commissioner Angie Boersma absent.
Building permit fees
Commissioners also voted 4-0 Tuesday to waive county building permit fees for buildings damaged in the May 12 storm. Permits will still be required for all projects, and permits for non-storm-related building projects will still be subject to fees.
“We took a lot of damage, and the majority of the damage is going to be outbuildings,” Hill told commissioners. “It’s going to range anywhere from barns to grain bins and everything else.”
County building permits are not typically needed for roof damage, he added.
Hill said when an F-0 tornado hit Sinai and other areas in the county in 2002, building permit fees were also waived.
“That was a localized incident and not massive. This is a massive disaster. I’ve got reports all the way from Lake Hendricks Township to Sinai,” Hill said.
Hill noted he can’t waive building inspection fees unless the county commission wants to pay those.
Hill said he’ll utilize his list of property damage reports made to 211 to confirm that building projects are due to storm damage, or owners will have to explain why they didn’t report it.
“That’s one of the important reasons to use 211, to let us know that you’ve got damage. That and equalization. I would say if equalization goes out and gives me a list of the buildings damaged by the storm, I would go by that,” Hill said.
Commissioner Mike Bartley asked if the county’s building inspectors – one county employee and an additional contractor – would be able to handle the increased workload due to storm damage. Hill said he didn’t think it would be an issue, and additional help could be brought on if needed. Depending on the type of building being constructed, inspectors may visit the site anywhere from one to three times.
Commissioners added a time limit on waiving building permit fees for storm-related damage. To forgo the permit fee, a permit application must be filed by Dec. 31, 2023.
Call 211
Tuesday’s meeting included details of storm damage, response and related issues from multiple county department heads.
Hill said the reason he is urging people to report property damage to 211 is that any damage within Brookings County, even in municipalities, counts toward the county’s damage assessment that will be submitted to the state Friday.
If there’s enough damage in the state, the governor requests a presidential disaster declaration.
That helps determine whether the county receives federal public and individual assistance.
“Individual assistance is extremely hard to get. You’ve got to have a high-volume dollar damage. That’s why we’re asking for assistance from the public. Tell us what you’ve got, and all we can do is assemble the information, send it forward, and they take a look at it,” Hill said.
Public assistance, which pays for damage to infrastructure, is different from individual assistance.
“We had so many power lines down, (getting public assistance is) not going to be difficult, I don’t think. … The reason for 211 and why we’re requesting people to call in is to try to get individual assistance. We’re not making promises that we’re ever going to get individual assistance.
“A lot of people are asking for help, and we understand that. All we can do is try,” Hill added.
Contact Jill Fier at jfier@brookingsregister.com.
