Posted: 9/11/07
Funds are available to government entities,
lots of paperwork required
By Charlie Warner
Argus Editor
The federal government has funds available to help townships, municipalities, school districts, watershed districts, the county, and even certain non-profit organization in Houston County recover from flood damage incurred during the August flash floods. Any damage sustained between August 18 and 31 is eligible for FEMAís public assistance infrastructure program.
Thatís what the approximately 120 persons, representing nearly all of the township, municipal, and county boards, councils, and departments in Houston County, attending an informational meeting with FEMA representatives were told Tuesday afternoon. The meeting was held in the lower level of the Caledonia Municipal Auditorium.
FEMA reps explained funding formulas, program eligibility, categories of damages, reimbursement programs, technical assistance, and how to fill out worksheets and applications forms.
Because of the amount of damage Southeast Minnesota counties sustained, two changes in FEMA protocol were made. In most cases, FEMA reimbursements only include regular hourly wages for cleanup, repair, or rebuilding work. But in this case, FEMA will also be paying for overtime hours.
The second change is that local governmental agencies operating recycling facilities will be able to keep all the money received for recycling services, instead of having to share the proceeds with the state.
The federal government will pay for 75 percent of the public assistance infrastructure program, while the stateís share is 15 percent and a local match will make up the remaining 10 percent.
Whatís eligible
Facilities that are eligible include:
ï those that are a legal responsibility of the applicant,
ï damaged as a result of the event (between August 18 and August 31),
ï located within the disaster area,
ï in use at the time of the event,
ï not eligible for funding by another federal agency,
ï not covered by insurance.
The public assistance infrastructure program puts the various damages in categories. The include:
ï Emergency work- eliminate or lessen immediate threats to the life, public health or safety, or threats of significant additional damage to improved public or private property. All emergency work is to be completed within 18 months of the disaster declaration.
ï Protective measures- construction of emergency levees, pumping, sandbagging, and patrolling. Search and rescue, fire and police services, EOC activities, safety inspections, emergency communication and transportation.
ï Permanent work includes restoring eligible facilities to its pre-disaster condition conforming to current codes and standards.
Those facilities include road systems, water control facilities, public buildings and equipment, public utilities, and park and recreational facilities.
The projects will be classified in two types - small projects (under $59,700) and large projects (over $59,700). Applications for projects falling within the first classification can be done by the governing body, while those falling in the second classification will be prepared with a project officer.
Lots of paperwork
Documentation is the key word when working with the government, and that certainly includes this assistance program. Any of the government bodies requesting FEMA aid are required to conduct numerous inspections, fill out various worksheets, and document everything. That information will be reviewed at a kickoff meeting scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 13 in the commissioners room of the Houston County Courthouse.
A representative from each governing body is asked to provide the following:
ï a map indicating the flood damaged sites in each area,
ï the costs for straight time annd overtime incurred by all staff, emergency workers, first responders, etc, related to the flood,
ï copies of any mutual aid agreements,
ï documentation on all completed work,
ï information on insurance coverage,
ï copies of any codes or standards to be adhered to.
Sept. 13 meeting
At the Sept. 13 meeting damages will be discussed, needs will be assessed and a play of action will be put in place. A FEMA caseworker will be appointed who will review what will be expected of each governmental agency and provide detailed instructions on what to do and how to do it.
After reviewing each list of damages, the FEMA rep will help determine what technical assistance, if any, is needed to prepare project worksheets. The meeting will also be the place to bring up any questions or concerns about how the public assistance process works.
All project worksheets must be completed within 30 days of the Sept. 13 kickoff meeting. If additional damages are discovered, they must be reported within 60 days of the kickoff meeting.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com