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State awaits FEMA offer for Montpelier building recovery; restoration vs. buyout remains unresolved
Summary
BGS told the committee it has submitted FEMA applications and is negotiating reimbursement of restoration costs; the department said it expects an offer timeline in mid‑March but the final approach (building‑by‑building restoration or other outcomes) depends on FEMA’s response.
BGS told the Appropriations Committee it has submitted the required FEMA documentation for flood‑damaged facilities in Montpelier and is in active negotiations over what FEMA will reimburse.
"We submitted our courts under section 4 28. We submitted, an application, and there was an extension granted… The latest extension was, through mid March, at which time that's the timeline for us to accept an offer, from FEMA," Manoli said, describing the department’s expectation for an offer and the follow‑up negotiating process.
Manoli said BGS is compiling replacement‑value estimates and categories of costs — including temporary relocation, lease costs and permanent repairs — and that those estimates have been submitted to FEMA. She said engineering and design staff are preparing details while recovery‑office staff handle oversight and other pieces of the application.
Committee members asked whether BGS expected a buyout or building‑by‑building offers; Manoli said the department cannot predict FEMA’s final approach and that outcomes will depend on FEMA’s offer and subsequent negotiation. She suggested that if offers are provided the state will evaluate building‑level versus programmatic options and weigh code and flood‑mitigation requirements in any restoration.
Manoli identified Doug Brown and project managers as staff working on estimates and said the department will provide more specific follow‑up from recovery office staff when available.
