The Hidalgo County Commissioners held a brief emergency meeting Tuesday to discuss the continuation of the local state of disaster following last week’s winter storm, agreeing to extend it.
During the meeting, Hidalgo County Emergency Management Coordinator Ricardo “Rick” Saldaña suggested that the county extend the emergency declaration.
“I ask you to extend the disaster declaration from the seven-day period to the conclusion of this event,” Saldaña said. “Since it’s been open, and we’re one of 77 counties that were enacted as the disaster declaration by the federal government for the individual assistance and public assistance program, I recommend that we extend the declaration.”
When asked by county Judge Richard F. Cortez about when the declaration should expire, Saldaña said that it should continue “until the conclusion of the event.”
“This one can stay open until we decide to close it, just like the (Hurricane) Hanna one,” Saldaña added.
The commissioners unanimously approved the extension.
The extension comes one week after Cortez signed the emergency declaration.
