Mexico Beach will be receiving hurricane recovery money soon. Blaise Gainey reports that announcement came Monday at the summit for a Resilient North Florida.
Florida Department of Emergency Management Deputy Director Kevin Guthrie says funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be arriving this week. He says his agency is working to get payments out faster.
Today or tomorrow we will be writing that check for 2 million dollars to Mexico Beach. So six weeks, not 6 months, not 6 years. 6 weeks," Guthrie says.
Local governments will also have more time to get paid back for cleaning up debris along major roadways. Guthrie says, “DOT extensions done. It was done Friday. That’s done 90 days.”
The three-month extension piggybacks on a 6-month extension already in place making the new deadline July 11.
Leon County Representative Loranne Ausley also attended the summit. She says Hurricane Michael will be the top priority from north Florida lawmakers this session.
“Representative Drake, Representative Trumbell, Representative Alexander and myself are working with Senators Montford Gainer, and Broxson to make sure we keep this at the very top of the list for the upcoming session,” Ausley said.
The 2019 legislative session begins March 5 and currently there is a bill that would put aside $50 million each year until 2026 for projects dedicated to projects related to Hurricane Michael.
