FEMA expected to reimburse county by end of the year for 2009 wind storm expenses

Nearly a year after a wind storm knocked out power in Cape Girardeau County, officials say most of the reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency should arrive soon.

According to the county auditor's office, FEMA has indicated it will pay $52,560, or 75 percent, of the $70,081 the agency owes to the county. The remaining amount should be disbursed at a later date.

First District Commissioner Paul Koeper said he expects the first 75 percent soon. The county should receive the remaining 25 percent by the end of the year upon further review by a FEMA committee that ensures that all of the county's documents, such as expenditures on labor and equipment, are correct.

"I understand FEMA has had a lot on their plate lately," Koeper said. "I also understand the state of the economy and problems the federal government is currently faced with. I believe under the circumstances, that [repayment time frame] is appropriate."

FEMA pays 75 percent of expenses for approved repairs of storm-related damage. The agency has already reimbursed the county for expenses with other storms that hit the area in 2008 and 2009. Those are $207,232 for a January 2008 ice storm, $145,970 for March 2008 flash flooding and $62,694 for a January 2009 ice storm.

Last week during a statewide meeting of county commissioners, Gov. Jay Nixon announced that the state of Missouri will reimburse agencies in 21 counties 10 percent of costs incurred by the January 2009 ice storm. Those include Cape Girardeau, $32,490, Cape Girardeau County, $8,459, Cape Girardeau Special Road District, $6,095, Jackson, $3,891, and Whitewater Fire Protection District, $708.

"Despite the difficult economic times, I think it's now vital to our recovery for the state to lend a hand and assist local governments and agencies with rebuilding infrastructure and reimbursing for expenditures related to emergency response," Nixon said in a written statement. "This state assistance will help move Missouri forward."

Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr said while $3,891 is not a large amount, the reimbursements do help recoup unplanned overtime expenses.

"When we plan for that next year's budget, we don't plan for a lot of overtime," Lohr said. "We know we will have some overtime, but we just manage to pay that.

"But if it's quite a bit, that would strain the city's finances," Lohr said. "This is just a way of helping us so we don't exceed our budget of overtime work."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

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