MONROE, CT — When flash floods severely impacted the region last August, Monroe’s highway department sprung into action, clearing away debris and paving damaged roads, while reopening everything to traffic in time for the start of the new school year.
“I just cannot say enough about the highway guys and the work they did,” Deputy Public Works Director Bill Phillips said Thursday, while also singling out general foreman, Shane Everetts for praise.
The total cost to the town for the cleanup was around $413,333 and Finance Director Ron Bunovsky Jr. said money was used from the committed fund balance, which the Board of Finance had setup just for such an emergency.
On Thursday afternoon, First Selectman Terry Rooney announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursed the town for 75 percent or $310,000 of the costs it incurred for the storm.
“With all of the uncertainty over federal funding, FEMA released the funds to Monroe,” Rooney said. “I’m very happy we got the funds quickly and we can replenish the committed fund balance.”
The first selectman credited Phillips and Operations Coordinator Viana Machnicz with applying for the federal reimbursement.
“Bill Phillips and Viana worked very hard on that,” Rooney said. “I’m very thankful for their work and due diligence.”
Phillips said he was told Monroe was the first Connecticut municipality to receive financial reimbursement from FEMA for the floods.
Monroe Public Works officials credit their experienced staff that realized the FEMA disaster early on, and immediately began to document town restoration efforts, while getting their ducks in a row by the time FEMA made the official declaration needed to open up the application process.
Phillips said FEMA representatives visited the town twice after the flash floods.
“Each time, they were very professional,” he said. “Kristi Moses of FEMA was excellent, very knowledgeable, responding to any questions we had. As far as public works is concerned, FEMA was great, good to work with and got us our reimbursement quickly.”
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