Zephyrhills hires disaster-recovery specialist to pursue FEMA reimbursements; city expects approvals soon
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Summary
The city approved expanded authority for Carlisle Thompson to continue FEMA public‑assistance work after the consultant reported $3.8M in submitted damage claims and anticipated a near-term approval that could yield reimbursement within 60 days for one project.
Zephyrhills on June 6 authorized continued engagement with Carlisle Thompson, a disaster‑recovery firm, to pursue FEMA public‑assistance reimbursements after the consultant told the council it had submitted roughly $3.8 million in projects and expects at least one approval soon.
Stephen Bryce, a principal with Carlisle Thompson, said the firm has submitted five priority projects and that one project — a documentation‑heavy piece tied to storm‑related sewage removal ("pump and haul") and other small infrastructure repairs — is close to approval. "We anticipate it being paid to the city within the next 60 days," Bryce told the council.
Why it matters: FEMA reimbursement can offset local repair and emergency‑response costs after declared disasters. Carlisle Thompson told council that, because FEMA review times and state audits vary, some reimbursements (especially large, complex claims) can take months to close even after approval.
Bryce explained work remains on roughly 19 projects and about 40 facilities that require documentation and reconciliation. He told the council Carlisle Thompson tracks hours weekly and monitors evolving FEMA requirements, and the firm asked the city to authorize an amended agreement to cover additional work related to complex project closeouts and audits.
Council approved the engagement. Staff and the consultant said the next months will include reconciliation of documentation for the major pump‑and‑haul project and processing smaller claims for lift‑station repairs, fencing and related items. Carlisle Thompson noted that FEMA changes, staffing turnover and extra auditing steps at the state level have increased administrative workload, which the council acknowledged as part of the reason the city needs specialist assistance.
What’s next: Carlisle Thompson will continue submissions and work with city staff to finalize outstanding claims; staff anticipates some reimbursements will come in within weeks for approved projects, while larger claim closeouts may take longer and require additional documentation and state review.
