Franklin Co. Receives Disaster Funding Help

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Franklin County is recipient of a funding award from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Last week, Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) Public Assistance Division Director, Charles Dawson, delivered two checks totaling $138,042.16 to Franklin County Board of Commissioners.

County Manager Beth Thomas said FEMA along with GEMA awarded Franklin County these funds to help pay for clean up after last winter’s February storms.

“After the winter storm February 15-17, the county incurred lots of costs for clean up,” Thomas said. “It took over 2,400 labor hours to clean up all of the debris left behind in the wake of the storm.”

In April, Governor Nathan Deal declared parts of Georgia that were hit hardest by the winter blast, disaster areas, making them eligible for federal disaster assistance.

Franklin County was among the counties included in that list. Thomas said that’s when the County applied for the funds.

“Our EMA Director Lenny Burgess worked very hard with GEMA and FEMA representatives when they came in,” Thomas said. “They did the initial estimate. We were eligible to apply for funding. We made the application and on August 20th the GEMA representaties delivered the check to Franklin County.”

Under the program, Franklin County was able to recoup most of what they spent on clean up efforts after the storm.

Thomas said the monies were used to cover the cost of equipment and man hours. She said all of the clean up was completed by late spring.