Garrett County Agencies May Get Reimbursed For Storm Costs

Mar. 25, 2010

Local agencies may be eligible for federal disaster declaration funding to cover part of their recent snow removal costs, Director Brad Frantz, Garrett County Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management, told the county commissioners on Tuesday. The county received more than 262 inches of snow this winter.
Frantz said it does not appear that the county will be eligible for funding for the Dec. 18-19, 2009, winter storm. Only eight Maryland counties are expected to receive cleanup reimbursement for that weather event.

"However, it does look like we will be eligible for some reimbursement for the period of Feb. 5 through 14," Frantz said about one of last month's many storm systems.

County departments and towns will be asked to submit data to Frantz's office pertaining to costs involved during that period. He and planner Virginia Smith will then compile the information into a spread sheet and forward it to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA representatives will then visit the county, review the original documents, and determine if the claims are valid.

Frantz noted, however, there are two thresholds that the county has to meet before it can qualify for the funding: snow amount and cost per capita. The director indicated there may be some debate over the snow amount qualification, but the county would have no problem reaching the per capita threshold.

"There's the state per capita, I think, of $6.8 million that has to be met to get a federal declaration, and then there's a county, based on population, threshold," Frantz said. "Ours is $96,000+ that has to be met. We'll have no problem reaching that for that period (Feb. 5-14)."

After FEMA verifies the documents, the county will host an applicants' briefing to review filing procedures. Departments, agencies, and towns will be asked to look at their paperwork and determine what days during the declaration period they incurred the most costs.

"Whatever the greatest expense they had for any 48-hour window will be what's eligible for reimbursement," Frantz said.

Therefore, for example, the Garrett County Roads Department's request period may differ from Loch Lynn's.

Commissioner Fred Holliday asked if the discrepancies could hurt the county's chance of getting funding.

"No," Frantz said. "That actually helps us maximize what's eligible for reimbursement."

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