Over five years after historic flooding devastated Midland, Gladwin and Saginaw counties, local organizations and governments are still await on some fiscal relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The Village of Sanford and Midland Center for the Arts have yet to receive their full amount of funding from FEMA to cover the costs of repairing flood damage.
"We remain in the FEMA review and reimbursement process and we expect our eligible costs to be reimbursed over time," said Alex Woody, a spokesperson for Midland Center for the Arts. Woody also said the Center has also not received a "confirmed timeline" on the review process from FEMA.
Additionally, Woody said the Center does not know how much relief they are entitled to.
"The amount is not finalized until FEMA provides the offer, which we have not received," he said. "We are working to complete repairs and mitigation as directed by FEMA on all remaining sites using federal funds so its best use for the Center and our community."
A spokesperson for Midland County said it has received the full FEMA funding for each closed rebuilding project.
"We have two open projects yet—one for Sanford Lake Park damages and one for management costs which will be the last project to close," said Bridgette Gransden, a Midland County administrator and controller. "The total of all projects that have been closed is $1.5 million in collections from FEMA."
Carl Hamann, a Sanford commissioner and resident impacted by the flooding, said they're still owed $220,000 in relief. The remaining sum would offset costs of rebuilding they have already paid for in the village.
"FEMA provided more than $31 million in Public Assistance (PA) funding to assist with state and local infrastructure repairs and other recovery costs," a spokesperson for FEMA said. "FEMA has obligated the federal funds for all approved Midland County and village of Sanford PA projects under DR-4547. One project for the Midland Center for the Arts remains under review."
According to the FEMA spokesperson, once FEMA obligates funding and grant management, distribution is left to the state.
In the meantime, Hamann said residents are struggling to rebuild as many hold the full financial burden on their shoulders. In January, residents will receive their day in court in a case brought against the state of Michigan that's seeking damages. Residents are accusing state regulators of not properly maintaining the Edenville dam.
"There are still people out there struggling for this that aren't whole," Hamann said. "I talk to them on a daily basis, and it really, it breaks your soul to know that they've been done wrong, and there's no compensation for it."
Early this year, U.S. Reps. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Bay City, and John Moolenaar, R-Caledonia, introduced bipartisan legislation into Congress that would help cut some red tape that slows the FEMA relief process down.
In a joint press release, they said the Rapid Disaster Relief Act would require FEMA relief to be distributed within 120 days after 90% of the associated costs are validated.
In May, McDonald Rivet and Moolenaar wrote a letter to Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, asking that FEMA reimburse those burdened by the floods.
"FEMA's reimbursements are vital to our local governments and economies," the letter said. "We share the concern that FEMA's cumbersome processes have created barriers for communities seeking relief and need reform."
We note that Midland Center for the Arts is a sponsor of WCMU. We report on them as we do with any other organization.
