Commissioners accept $40,377.83 FEMA payment for debris-cutting labor and allocate funds by precinct

Van Zandt County Commissioners Court approved acceptance of $40,377.83 in FEMA Category B funds to reimburse labor expenses the county incurred cutting and removing trees after storms last year.

The funds reimburse the county for labor to “cut the trees up that had fallen” and remove debris from rights-of-way, not for curbside debris pickup, staff said. The county’s emergency management coordinator led the FEMA claims process, and staff advised the court to accept the reimbursement.

The court accepted the FEMA payment and approved the distribution to precincts as described by staff: $14,008.44 to Precinct 1, $11,890.30 to Precinct 2, $6,108 to Precinct 3 and $7,530 to Precinct 4. Staff said the amounts represent labor reimbursements across all four precincts.

Commissioners voted by voice to accept the funds and distribute them according to the breakdown provided. Staff credited Emergency Management Coordinator Vicky McAllister with preparing and submitting the claims paperwork.