Chris Smith has announced that FEMA has awarded us $1.7 million for marina repairs. If this is for the $1.9 million claim we already have submitted for, then the municipal portion of our debt as reported here should actually tick up by about $200,000. If its on top of the $1.9 million then, yeah, that would be very good news. I will report when I find out.
BTW, the rejiggering of the boardwalk development bonds, if they pass, will alter the proportions of our total debt. It will decrease the beach utility portion by about $2.5 million and add $2 million to the municipal debt. We’ll find out on December 11 if Judge Lawson will allow it, and if he does they will pass at the council meeting scheduled for that evening. (In Belmar, all bonds get passed in the minimum time required by law.) Lawson is also set to hand down his decision on Pringle’s challenge to the mayor’s redevelopment plan on December 11. Should be an interesting meeting that night.
Smith also announced that the South Monmouth Regional Sewage Authority has gotten a $2 million grant from FEMA to move a Lake Como pumping station to a less flood-prone location. (Sandy put the original one under 6 feet of water.)
Also in the news, Gannet has this to report:
Federal report: Sandy relief funds need better oversight
WASHINGTON — The $50 billion the federal government approved for Superstorm Sandy disaster relief is at high risk of being spent improperly, according to a new government report…………
………“When disasters occur, the destruction caused by those disasters must be addressed immediately, and disaster relief funding must be delivered expeditiously. However, the risk for fraud and abuse increases when billions of dollars are being spent quickly,” the report said.
Shocking.
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