County emergency manager reports $31,000 FEMA/DHS reimbursement approval; ADA website deadlines extended

Michael Siegfried, speaking during departmental updates, told commissioners that delayed FEMA/DHS funding confirmation arrived Wednesday for the county’s annual reimbursable grant, approximately $31,000.

"It's just about $31,000," Siegfried said, adding the grant is reimbursable and staff can begin submitting expenses for reimbursement. He said the county had documented eligible expenses and expected initial reimbursements in a couple of weeks to a month, noting the process includes FEMA approval steps that have been delayed in the past.

Siegfried also flagged a change in web-accessibility timelines. He said public-entity website ADA compliance deadlines have been pushed back: entities under 50,000 population will now have until April 2028 to comply, while larger public entities had an earlier clock. He recommended outreach to townships to raise awareness, noting townships are separate political entities and may already rely on shared association websites.

The update did not include a detailed breakdown of grant-eligible expenditures or a precise reimbursement schedule; Siegfried said staff would confirm required forms with the grant administrator before submitting claims. Commissioners took the update for the record and proceeded to other items on the agenda.