City Manager Kurt Hodgen, in his role as Director of Emergency
Management for the city, has declared a Local Emergency in the City of Harrisonburg.

The declaration is the result of the two significant snowfalls of last week that the city is still responding to as well as the pending snowfall expected to begin Tuesday.

Governor Bob McDonnell declared a State of Emergency for the Commonwealth of Virginia on February 3, 2010 and updated his declaration on Tuesday to prepare for the additional snowfall.

All other Shenandoah Valley localities have declared local emergencies.
Rockingham County issued a declaration earlier in the day.

Should the President issue a disaster declaration for the area, the declaration of a local emergency will give Harrisonburg access to federal public assistance funds and Hazard Mitigation Grant Assistance if funding becomes available through that program.

Additionally, the local emergency declaration will open up state resources if they become necessary. The move also allows the city, to forgo certain city policies and procedures “pertaining to the performance of public work.”
This includes, but is not limited to, procurement policies, temporary hiring, rental of equipment and the appropriation and expenditure of public funds.

City Council will ratify the declaration by resolution at the February 9, 2010 council meeting.