At a special meeting on September 20, County Commissioners Court voted to extend the local state of disaster designation for Blanco County due to excessive rainfall from Tropical Storm Hermine.

In his report to Commissioners, Johnson City Administrator David Dockery said that high water on Wednesday, September 8, had caused damage to Avenue I and Gonzalez Roads in Johnson City as well as two low water crossings on Ash and Pecan Streets.

The Waste Water Treatment Plant was flooded. Power was lost, affecting the blowers and allowing the air lines to fill with water. Manhole covers on the collection system were knocked off by floating tree stumps. There was approximately $200,000 overall damage to the system. Mr. Dockery reported that, although the treatment plant is back in operation, the blowers were not yet operating at full efficiency.

By officially extending the County’s disaster designation, FEMA can investigate the extent of the damages caused by the storm and perhaps mitigate at least some of the expenses incurred by the county.

There were two reports by county citizens of water damage to private roads on their properties, but Judge Guthrie indicated that public equipment could not be used to help them. No significant storm-related damage was reported from other communities in the county.