Rutland Herald
KILLINGTON — The town will try to
hang on to a $259,000 payment the federal government made for bridge
repairs after Tropical Storm Irene.
The Select Board met Dec. 3 for a regular meeting in which the board discussed issues with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over repairs made to Stage Road and Ravine Road related damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.
“We received a response from the FEMA appeal which is the first appeal of the withdrawing of the appropriation we received for the two bridges on Stage Road and Ravine Road,” said Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth at the meeting. “Last winter, after we appealed to Washington to get more money, the local office found that they had a loophole in the approval originally and asked for the $259,000 back.”
He said the FEMA decision was appealed in the beginning of April. The agency denied it, Hagenbarth said.
He added that the town has one more appeal option left. It can appeal directly to the FEMA office in Washington D.C. and lean on Vermont’s Congressional delegation to help it do so. He suggested the town seek out Mel Adams who served as Killington’s FEMA coordinator during the recovery period from Irene.
Hagenbarth said the appeal would likely cost the town between $5,000 and $8,000.
“… I’d rather go for the appeal at this point even if it does cost us $5,000 to $8,000,” Selectwoman Patty McGrath said. “I do believe with Mel’s help we have a better chance of retaining those funds.”
Hagenbarth said the town has 60 days — starting about a week prior to the Dec. 3 meeting — to file the appeal.
“It’s, let’s say $5,000 to $10,000, to get $259,000 not to leave our budget,” said Selectman Jim Haff. “We’re already in this far, it’s a no-brainer.”
Hagenbarth said he agreed and was simply looking for direction from the board. He said state officials he’s spoken to have put the odds of the town’s success in this matter at 20 percent.
“For
anyone who’s not familiar with this, we’re not asking for more money,
we’re asking to keep the money that was given to us to do repairs after
Irene,” Selectboard Chairman Stephen Finneron said. “FEMA is asking us
to pay back this money. This is what the appeal is, so we’d keep the
money; we’re not asking for more, we just want to keep what they gave
us.”
Haff added that the town should contact Vermont senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders as well as Killington’s state Rep. Jim Harrison for assistance with the FEMA appeal.
keith.whitcomb
@rutlandherald.com
The Select Board met Dec. 3 for a regular meeting in which the board discussed issues with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over repairs made to Stage Road and Ravine Road related damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.
“We received a response from the FEMA appeal which is the first appeal of the withdrawing of the appropriation we received for the two bridges on Stage Road and Ravine Road,” said Town Manager Chet Hagenbarth at the meeting. “Last winter, after we appealed to Washington to get more money, the local office found that they had a loophole in the approval originally and asked for the $259,000 back.”
He added that the town has one more appeal option left. It can appeal directly to the FEMA office in Washington D.C. and lean on Vermont’s Congressional delegation to help it do so. He suggested the town seek out Mel Adams who served as Killington’s FEMA coordinator during the recovery period from Irene.
Hagenbarth said the appeal would likely cost the town between $5,000 and $8,000.
“… I’d rather go for the appeal at this point even if it does cost us $5,000 to $8,000,” Selectwoman Patty McGrath said. “I do believe with Mel’s help we have a better chance of retaining those funds.”
Hagenbarth said the town has 60 days — starting about a week prior to the Dec. 3 meeting — to file the appeal.
“It’s, let’s say $5,000 to $10,000, to get $259,000 not to leave our budget,” said Selectman Jim Haff. “We’re already in this far, it’s a no-brainer.”
Hagenbarth said he agreed and was simply looking for direction from the board. He said state officials he’s spoken to have put the odds of the town’s success in this matter at 20 percent.
Haff added that the town should contact Vermont senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders as well as Killington’s state Rep. Jim Harrison for assistance with the FEMA appeal.
keith.whitcomb
@rutlandherald.com
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