District Pursues Hurricane Sandy Aid
Hurricane Sandy's powerful winds and rains left an expensive mess across the region. The Huntington School District, which was saddled with an array of costs responding to the storm and its aftermath, is seeking federal aid to recoup some of monies it spent.
District officials met last week with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the New York State Office of Emergency Management concerning eligibility for storm-related aid and how to go about submitting the required supporting documentation.
"This meeting, known as the 'kickoff meeting,' is the second phase of the process," explained Sam Gergis, Huntington's assistant superintendent for business. FEMA reviewed the aid program and the application process. The district can seek reimbursement for the salary and benefits of employees involved in storm debris removal and the overall recovery effort, equipment and fuel and any rental items that had to be brought in by the district.
"FEMA can reimburse the district for expenses exceeding insurance payouts related to damaged facilities," Mr. Gergis said. "This encompasses any deductibles, limits or expenses exceeding a threshold."
"Our buildings held up quite well, considering the magnitude of the weather event," Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky said. "Nonetheless and as would be expected, there was an array of unbudgeted costs incurred during and following the storm. We are hopeful that we can work through FEMA to recoup these monies, as we have been as proactive as possible throughout the post-storm process."
FEMA told the school officials that it anticipates a "75/25" reimbursement ratio, which would result in the district receiving 75 percent reimbursement "for all expenses not covered by insurance or other type of coverage," Mr. Gergis said. "The federal government is discussing the possibility of increasing the reimbursement rate to 90 percent, however any revision is currently speculative."
The district expects the review process to begin soon. "Our facilities and payroll staffs began compiling related data several weeks ago," Mr. Gergis said. "This will allow for an expedited application review according to the FEMA representative."