As hurricane season begins, the city of Orange is still working to get money from FEMA and insurance companies nine months after Tropical Storm Harvey. Sherry Jackson, city accounting manager, presented details of losses, expenditures, and reimbursements to the city council this week.
FEMA owes the city about $2.1 million in reimbursements for debris pickup alone.
City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre said he hopes the money for the reimbursements come in before another disaster hits.
Hurricane season started June 1 and this week meteorologists were watching for possible tropical storm development of a system in the Gulf of Mexico. The system did not develop into a cyclone, but is predicted to bring rain this weekend.
The city has used reserve funds, or savings, to cover the costs initially.
The city has paid its debris contractor $3.9 million and has collected $1.87 million of those expenses from FEMA. After the contractor left, the city had FEMA agree to pay back the city for use of city equipment and crews to pick up more storm-related debris. The city has spent $68,708 on that.
Those figures show the city has spent almost $2.1 million in reserve funds on debris pickup that has not been paid back by FEMA.
FEMA has reimbursed the city the full $72,250 spent for contracted meals for first responders and city work crews during the storm and aftermath.
The city has also filed for FEMA reimbursement for emergency protective measures for the police department, the water and sewer operations, street department operations, and the labor costs for the emergency employees. Also on the list is $108,470 for generator use. All together, the city is short $2.59 million in expenditures for FEMA direct costs.
Oubre said the city is also asking FEMA to pay the deductibles on the losses claimed through insurance polices on buildings, structures like sewer lift stations, park equipment, and vehicles.
Main buildings damaged included the Parks Maintenance Building on MacArthur Drive at 16th Street; the Allie Payne Road fire station; the old armory on Meeks Drive; the fleet maintenance center and street service center, both on Polk Street; and the Neighborhood Facility Building in downtown.
The city gets insurance through the Texas Municipal League. Some of the insurance payments have been received and others are pending.
The city has paid about $479,000 on the repairs and has been reimbursed from insurance about $408,100.
Oubre said the Park Maintenance Building, which is a former fire station next to City Park, should be sold.
The fire department had a pumper damaged and the brush department had a F750 truck damaged. In addition, the police department had five sedans, four F150 pickup trucks, and eight SUVs damaged. The total damage was set at nearly $190,000.
Some have been repaired and others are considered losses. The city’s insurance has paid for the losses and damages, but the total deductible is $10,000.
Oubre said the city has taken a loss on the equipment damaged in the police equipment because the insurance depreciated the value, even thought the items need to be replaced. Depreciation cost nearly $25,000.
The city manager praised Sherry Jackson for her work at keeping up with all the damages, insurance payments, and FEMA payments. He said other cities across the state have called her for advice. Jackson thanked the council for hiring another person to help in the finance department.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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