Newton County court presses for clearer FEMA path and centralized grant coordination after 2024 floods

Newton County Commissioner’s Court discussed the county’s ongoing FEMA recovery work for a 2024 flooding event and directed the judge’s office to create a single point of contact and distribution list to ensure commissioners and staff receive all FEMA communications.

The discussion, led by Commissioner Powell (speaker_2), focused on recent meetings with FEMA staff in which county field inspections and data uploads moved 12 roads into FEMA’s estimating group (CRC). Powell said the county’s site inspector had uploaded detailed field notes, photographs and GPS coordinates, and that CRC estimates would now determine how much FEMA will reimburse. “We were moved from a holding pattern to the point of our 12 roads went to the CRC,” Powell said.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the backlog and unclear communication have cost Newton County both time and possible funding. They described inconsistent past practice in which some precincts were not included, and urged a more aggressive, centralized approach to grant administration so the county does not miss eligible funds.

What happened: During a long exchange (items introduced under agenda item 14), a resident commenter (speaker_6) told the court that the county had "missed the boat, folks, have missed the boat" and described a history of unclaimed FEMA funds. Commissioners and staff responded that procedures have changed recently: county users (commissioners and assistants) now have access to FEMA’s portal, which enables projects to be entered as completed or incomplete; entering a project as incomplete allows FEMA to estimate needed work and commit funds before the county spends money.

Commissioner Powell summarized the practical result of FEMA’s new workflow: "If you enter it as a project uncompleted, then it shifts to, okay, show us how much then...here's what we're gonna give you, then go fix the roads." He added that, when a county has already spent money on a project, those expenditures can be used to supplement the FEMA award.

Concerns and direction: Commissioners repeatedly stressed two problems: that some precincts had been left out of prior submissions and that the county currently has no permanent grant administrator. Powell urged the court to designate a single Newton County contact for FEMA communications, with a distributed copy list to ensure commissioners and key staff are informed. He said doing so would reduce duplication and prevent meetings or emails from being missed. "I like for Trailer and Associates to be on it," Powell said when discussing outside grant managers; other commissioners supported including an external grant administrator where appropriate.

FEMA response: According to the transcript of the meeting, FEMA personnel said county projects entered as incomplete would be estimated by FEMA rather than requiring the county to complete work upfront; FEMA estimated amounts would be sent to the county with an opportunity to protest.

Next steps: The court agreed to create a central contact and distribution list for FEMA communications, to include commissioners and select outside contractors where appropriate. Commissioners also affirmed the need to be invited to FEMA and TDM meetings going forward and to make the county’s grant management more proactive to avoid future missed opportunities.

The matter concluded with the court’s direction to formalize the contact and communications plan; no formal vote on a contract or funding for a new, countywide grant administrator was recorded during this meeting.