Where’s St. Lucie’s hurricane-recovery money, county administrator asks FEMA
Oct 17, 2008
Treasure Coast Palm--October 16, 2008
By Eric Pfahler
ST. LUCIE COUNTY — County administrator Doug Anderson sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency assistant administrator Carlos Castillo on Thursday asking why the county has not received more than $1.5 million owed for debris removal after the hurricanes in 2004 in gated communities and on private roads.
The letter comes a day after an ABC News report that Martin County received a $3.4 million grant for the collection of hurricane debris in gated communities because U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, was allegedly having an affair with a county employee and helped her get the grant.
Since Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne hit in 2004, Anderson said the county has sent more than six letters to recoup more than $2.1 million from FEMA to pay for the debris pickup. After a second appeal, FEMA approved the reimbursement of $515,502 in March but the county has not “received a nickel of the $2,103,304.99 owed to us from Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne” according to the letter.
Anderson said he is not making the claim based on recent news about Mahoney or the money given to Martin County. Martin County deserves its money as well, Anderson said. The county administrator, however, said St. Lucie County should have been first in line to receive any money from FEMA for debris pickup.
“We are hearing that other communities have received their funding and we were the first community in the Treasure Coast to file this paperwork if not in the state,” Anderson said. “We want our money, and we want it by the end of this calendar year.”
Anderson said if the county received 3 percent interest on the money, the county could have an extra $120,000 or more in the bank not to mention effort county staff has used to get this money.
“That money sitting out there is costing the taxpayers money,” Anderson said.