Josh MerchantLocal government reporter

At the end of January, a memo from the White House ordered a pause on trillions of dollars of federal grants and programs nationwide.

Vital federal dollars seemingly were set to disappear overnight — including millions of dollars that pay for Kansas City transportation projects, energy infrastructure and homeowner assistance.

Two weeks later, that memo has been rescinded, then blocked by a federal judge — at least temporarily averting fiscal tremors for local governments across the country.

Now, Kansas City is preparing its budget for the next fiscal year. And though the immediate threat of losing federal grants has been avoided, uncertainty about federal spending lingers.

For most people, a major snowstorm means stocking up on groceries, keeping a stack of blankets handy and maybe even a surprise day at home from work or school. But the Kansas City area’s weather response agencies have been working around the clock to clear up major highways, sidewalks and local roads to make sure major infrastructure can remain functional.

Now that the snow is finally clearing, those agencies are looking back at what worked well and what to change for next time.