JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) — After losing their arbitration, Jackson County officials said FEMA is the opposite of their friendly, federal partner.
They said FEMA claimed hurricane Michael caused absolutely no road damage in the county and the judges took FEMA’s side.
“There is not one person that could still drive by now and not see some of the damage that still lingers from the Hurricane,” Deputy County Administrator Karlyn Tidwell said.
Tidwell said she doesn’t know why other counties received millions of dollars and they didn’t.
The county reports almost 10 million cubic yards of debris fallen.
They said, as a result, there is more than $20 million worth of road repairs caused by Hurricane Michael.
“What started out really strong and really helpful and really encouraging from FEMA became what resulted in them kind of turning on us,” Tidwell said.
Tidwell said the switch in their relationship came when FEMA assigned a new management team to the county.
She said the county provided ample documents and pictures and they gave the new team all the additional information they requested.
But they still get nothing.
“We’re going to work through that because that’s what our community does,” Tidwell said. “But it is, you know, it’s a disadvantage and it is definitely an unfairness to our county that we have to continue on and try to look at other avenues to repair damage that was done during the hurricane.”
Jackson County Administration thanked congressman Neal Dunn and Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott for their support, even though the efforts fell short.
County officials said they are not giving up.
They’re going to find a way to repair the roads without FEMA.
