Tornado damage in Menasha, July 28, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Menasha’s common council approved an additional $1.73 million in public funds spending for tornado cleanup. City Code allows the city to spend up to $100,000. The council had already approved $1.95 million, including a 10% contingency. The latest request brings the total to $3.86 million.
“The requests we’re continuing to make are specific to emergency response based on the local state of disaster,” said Mayor Austin Hammond. “It’s an opportunity to update our council and update for the community of where we’re at in this journey and how we’re spending their money and how we’re working through this process. So, I think doing it incrementally like this makes sense.”
The July 27 storm cut through the Fox Valley, leaving more than $8.2 million in property damage and $13.8 million in public sector damage.
“We’re certainly out of the emergency response related to the tornado and the short term of it. We’re more in that long term recovery,” said Hammond.
Hammond specifically referenced projects like cleaning up roadways and other public spaces.
According to the resolution, the money would be spent on:
- Debris Removal; Hauling (DTAK) – Add $368,000
- Debris Removal; Hauling (Municipal Aide) – Add $500,000
- Debris Removal; C&D Disposal (Outagamie County) – Add $200,000
- Debris Removal; Brush Grinding (Bucklin Tree Service) – Add $350,000
- Building Inspection Services (City of Appleton) – Add $10,000
- Facility Assessments – Add $4,000
- Overtime Estimate; Departments-wide – Add $56,800
- DPW Equipment – Add $250,000
The requests for extra funding may end soon.
“I can say that it’s going to wind down significantly at the end of this week. You won’t be seeing the big dollars that you’ve, you’re seeing here today,” said Director of Public Works, James Merten.
In the future, disposal of large vegetative debris will bring another expense.
“The disposal of it, when that time comes, will be a separate item outside of the emergency declaration that we’ll have to address. So, they’ll be that’ll be another probably fairly sizable cost to expect down the road,” said Merten.
Although there’s still work ahead, the city continues to recover.
Monday morning, it was announced that nonprofits will make $1 million available for tornado-impacted families.
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