FEMA PROMISES CITIES FLOOD-RELIEF MONEY

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will allow local governments to include volunteer labor and equipment as part of their share of flood-relief costs.

FEMA officials Tuesday briefed city and county officials from Cape Girardeau and Perry counties on the public assistance program that will provide federal money for emergency work and the repair or replacement of public facilities damaged by the flood.

Typically, FEMA will fund 75 percent of the flood-relief costs with the state responsible for 10 percent and the local government paying 15 percent.

But Moises Dugan of FEMA said volunteer labor and equipment can be assessed at a rate of $6 an hour and credited to the local share of costs.

Dugan said the credit for volunteer flood-fighting efforts is unique to the 1993 flood.

"The reason for it is that FEMA believes they would be paying a lot more for restorative work if it were not for the volunteer efforts," he said.

The public assistance program, as opposed to the individual assistance program targeted toward individuals and families affected by the flood, reimburses local governmental entities for flood relief and prevention efforts.

Any flood prevention or relief work such as sandbagging of subsequent cleanup that was coordinated by the local government qualifies for the volunteer labor and equipment credit, Dugan said.

He said it's important that officials document their estimates for the volunteer costs.

Weldon Macke, Cape Girardeau County auditor, said the federal reimbursement for volunteer work might net a profit for some governmental entities.

"Regardless, if it's a profit to the city," said Dugan, "FEMA looks at it from the viewpoint that there would have been a lot more damage if these efforts weren't taken."

Cape Girardeau City Manager J. Ronald Fischer said the announcement of the volunteer credits is significant for the city.

But it's unclear who could claim the reimbursement. Early in the flood, the city designated the Red Cross and the Salvation Army to administer local flood relief efforts.

Both those organizations likely qualify as non-profit, non-governmental agencies eligible for FEMA reimbursement.

Dugan said the federal money will go to the group that coordinated the efforts which does little to clarify the situation in Cape Girardeau. "It's a confusing program, there's no doubt about that," Dugan conceded.

But Fischer said the most important thing is that the county was named a federal disaster area for public assistance ensuring that at least 75 percent of flood-prevention, cleanup and repair costs will be reimbursed.

"We're very fortunate to have been declared eligible for these disaster funds," Fischer said. "Without that, the city budget would have been cut into significantly."

Officials have estimated flood relief and clean-up costs to the city might total $500,000. County expenses could be $1 million.

The types of things that qualify for reimbursement through FEMA's assistance program include emergency protective measures; repair and replacement of city- and county-owned facilities damaged by the flood; debris removal; road and bridge repairs and replacements; reconstruction of levees, drainage channels and parks and recreational facilities; and repairs and replacement of utilities.

Also covered with the disaster assistance are wages and benefits for public employees engaged in flood relief work.

Dugan explained that the assistance program provides rei~m~burse~ment based on documentation of the costs incurred, which enables the city to continue flood relief.

"You can go ahead and begin your repairs as long as you maintain proper documentation," Dugan said.

Tuesday's meeting enabled local officials to learn more about the types of projects that will be covered under FEMA's program. The program aims to provide funds that will enable cities and counties to ensure public facilities will be restored to a condition as good as or better than prior to the disaster.

Each project must be surveyed by a FEMA representative and a local inspector.

"You may have extraordinary costs that under FEMA's guidelines might not be considered eligible," Dugan said. "There are going to be a lot of things you thought were eligible, but won't be."

For damaged public facilities, FEMA will fund insurance deductible and depreciation costs, Dugan said. Insurable facilities for which the local government carried no insurance will be eligible only for money that would have covered deductibles.

Also, those facilities must be insured in the future to secure any subsequent disaster relief money.

"FEMA's general rule is that the first bite is free," Dugan said. "They will fund under the condition that you're going to obtain flood insurance in the future."