CLARK FORK — The Office of Emergency Management has indicated to Bonner County commissioners that they received verbal approval of a state disaster emergency for Bonner County flooding near Clark Fork by Idaho Gov. Brad Little. 

In a special meeting Dec. 22, commissioners issued a delegation letter of authority to the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, designating Director of Emergency Management Bob Howard as a point of contact, to commit funds on behalf of the county with the intentions of managing the flooding disaster.  

With the state’s assistance of the disaster, Commissioner Brian Domke shared that financial assistance will be up to a 50/50 cost share with the county.  

Committed funds will equal around $656,952 and will come out of the county’s Road and Bridge budget. Domke noted that the financial impact to the county would be less than the committed amount due to the state’s match and assistance in repairs from the Army Corps of Engineers.   

The disaster declaration stems from historical flooding that occurred in Clark Fork on Dec. 11, resulting in the flooding and closures of Lightning Creek Road and East Spring Creek Road.