Commissioners learn rules to qualify for FEMA reimbursement

Commissioners learn rules to qualify for FEMA reimbursement Roxanne Thompson Wed, 07/17/2024 - 07:14 Image

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  Freestone County Emergency Management Coordinator Leonard Smith, at left, tells Freestone County Commissioners Court at its June 27 meeting what he learned at a special meeting about qualifying for the FederalDisaster Declaration for the severe weather that began April 26. At right can be seen, from right, County Judge Linda Grant, Precinct 3 Commissioner Lloyd Lane and Precinct 4 Commissioner Clyde Ridge Jr. Photo by Roxanne Thompson /Fairfield Recorder

  Freestone County Emergency Management Coordinator Leonard Smith, at left, tells Freestone County Commissioners Court at its June 27 meeting what he learned at a special meeting about qualifying for the FederalDisaster Declaration for the severe weather that began April 26. At right can be seen, from right, County Judge Linda Grant, Precinct 3 Commissioner Lloyd Lane and Precinct 4 Commissioner Clyde Ridge Jr. Photo by Roxanne Thompson /Fairfield Recorder

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Freestone County Emergency Management Coordinator Leonard Smith briefed the county court members at their June 27 meeting on the status of the county’s emergency declaration for the extended extreme rain period that ran from April 26 to June 5.

“FEMA will cover 75 percent; we have to cover 25 percent,’’ Smith told the court. “However, that 25 percent isn’t us monetarily putting anything out per se. So we can use donated resources, such as volunteer hours, equipment, food, materials, things that were donated possibly to us to help get things cleaned up. We can deduct that 25 percent off of that to help with that.”

Smith continued reading a summary of the meeting he attended on the subject and explained that summary to the court members, including Continued from Page 1

A. Debris removal – considered emergency work and is eligible when it removes immediate threat to life, health and safety; must have TCEQ authorization for staging and burning at Temporary Debris Management Sites; B. Emergency Protective Measures – measures taken before, during and after a disaster to save lives, protect public health and prevent damage to public and private property; C-G Permanent Work – these are repairs that will restore or replace disaster- damaged facilities in accordance with regulations; including C. Roads and Bridges; D. Water Control Facilities; E. Buildings and Equipment;

F. Utilities; and G. Parks, Recreational Facilities & Other Facilities.

The deadline for the RPA, which is Request for Public Assistance, is July 6.

Consequently, the court agreed to file the claim immediately after the June 27 meeting, and Smith said filing the claim should take only about 10 minutes.

Supporting documentation is required for all reimbursements.

In a separate matter, and after some discussion, the court members voted to replace the flat roof on the District Attorney’s office building with a sloped roof. The court members had already received a bid from one company but agreed to go out for additional bids on the job.