Cobb County may have to reimburse the Federal Emergency Management Agency $558,000 in emergency assistance grant funds it received after the devastating 2009 flood.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General performed a six-month audit this year on a portion of the $7.7 million in assistance provided to the county for debris removal, overtime paid to emergency responders, and more than 200 projects to repair damage to public facilities.
It found that the county received dual payments from insurance and FEMA on some projects, and that’s the money it says the county must repay.
County officials disagree with the audit findings, and say the amount owed is actually about $293,000. But the county’s argument hasn’t swayed the federal government.
“… County officials partially disagree with this finding, saying that they believe the amount will be less when Georgia reviews the county’s claim,” says the Aug. 7 audit. “However, our position remains unchanged because we based our finding on insurance documentation the county provided to us.”
FEMA funds are distributed to counties through the Georgia Emergency Management Association.
County finance director Jim Pehrson said Cobb didn’t receive all of the $557,943 cited in the audit. Specifically, Pehrson said the county only received $367,962, and that FEMA still owes the county $75,000 for projects that have not yet been closed out.
That leads county officials to believe the amount owed is $292,962, Pehrson said.
FEMA spokeswoman Mary Hudak said data on how much Cobb received was not immediately available.
The audit “is looking at the amount that was budgeted for the projects, and we’re looking at what was actually paid,” Pehrson said. “I wouldn’t think we’d have to repay money that we never received.”
Pehrson said the issue will be settled after a final reconciliation, after the last of the paperwork has been processed. County spokesman Robert Quigley said the county hopes that happens by the end of the year.
The Inspector General conducted the audit during the first six months of the year.
Cobb County was hit hardest by the Sept. 21, 2009 flooding. Nine people died and 714 homes were destroyed statewide. More than 28,000 individuals applied to FEMA for disaster relief funds.
The audit also said an additional $427,994, which had been earmarked for Cobb assistance but never distributed, should go back into FEMA’s budget so that it is available to assist other communities in the future. County officials agree with that finding.
Cobb County spokesman Robert Quigley said the county worked “hand-in-hand with FEMA” throughout the flood.
“This audit is a little premature since all the projects have not been closed out,” Quigley said.
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