Oxford says Winter Storm Fern has cost city about $15 million

Oxford’s Winter Storm Fern costs have climbed to about $15 million, a figure driven by emergency response, debris removal, damaged infrastructure and utility restoration that city leaders say will weigh on the budget long after the ice is gone. The city is still waiting on reimbursement, which leaves Oxford carrying the bill now while it tries to keep services moving and avoid pushing storm damage onto everyday operations.

That is why the city already approved an emergency borrowing plan of up to $25 million. The financing, structured as a general obligation drawdown note with a term of up to five years, is meant to bridge the gap between what Oxford has spent and what federal or insurance money may eventually cover. City Attorney Pope Mallette told aldermen the city would need to front significant money before FEMA and other money arrived. Mayor Robyn Tannehill was given authority to make final determinations if the borrowing moves forward.

The storm was not just a local cleanup problem. Gov. Tate Reeves requested a Major Disaster Declaration on Feb. 3, 2026, for counties hit by severe winter storms from Jan. 23 through Jan. 27, including public assistance for debris removal. Mississippi received major disaster declaration DR-4899-MS on Feb. 6, and Lafayette County was included among the counties eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance from Jan. 25 through Aug. 8. State officials also reported four additional deaths on Jan. 29, including one in Lafayette County, and damage statewide to 223 homes, 10 businesses and seven farms, along with 20 roads with major damage, 50 with minor damage, 12 destroyed roads and two bridges with minor damage.

The cleanup itself has been enormous. By March 31, Tannehill said crews had removed about 526,000 cubic yards of debris. By April 20, a private debris contractor said Lafayette County had reached about 1.15 million cubic yards collected, roughly equal to 350 Olympic-size swimming pools. That scale helps explain why the storm remains a fiscal event as much as a weather event. NOAA says Mississippi experienced 10 winter storm billion-dollar disaster events from 1980 through 2024, a reminder that severe ice and snow can leave local governments paying for recovery long after the roads clear.