The Royal City Council has wondered for more than two months why Clay County was not included in the governor's disaster proclamation after the July 5 derecho. Now they have their answer.

Clay County Emergency Management Coordinator Eric Tigges said during this month's council meeting that three types of disaster assistance are available. A presidential declaration is the most common but eligibility for federal assistance is tied to the amount of public sector and state uninsurable damage.

A second category of disaster aid is individual assistance, which is difficult to obtain.

"I've applied f...