Asbury Park will receive over $1 million for Hurricane Sandy cleanup from the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], Congressman Frank Pallone’s office announced last week.
The city sought about $1.8 million for cleanup from FEMA, city manager Terence Reidy said, and will receive $1.2 or $1.3 million. FEMA awards public assistance grants on a rolling basis after receiving applications from the state, which coordinates the process with local governments.
“That’s a great number,” Reidy said of the grant. “[FEMA] is very responsive and the timing is excellent. The level of cooperation between the state and the president has been really outstanding so it’s a great sign for things to come.”
This funding is meant to reimburse municipalities for debris removal in the days following the storm. More aid from FEMA for other expenses will likely follow, Reidy said. Municipalities will continue to evaluate costs, factoring in any insurance coverage.
Storm-related damage in the city could reach $12 million or more, Reidy said at the Nov. 19 council meeting. Costs include overtime work, damage to city equipment, and damage to structures like the sewage treatment plant and boardwalk. While Madison Marquette is responsible for structures surrounding the boardwalk, the city owns the boardwalk itself.
The city is also seeking a $7.1 million bond to “immediately go out and start the reconstruction process so we can get the boardwalk open by summer 2013 and begin repairs to the sewer plant,” Reidy said at the Nov. 19 meeting.
The emergency bond will be funded over a five-year period.
