By Dawn Burleigh

The Orange Leader

 

Orange County received a deposit of $9,264,162. 09 on Friday as the first reimbursement from FEMA for funds spent during the recovery of Hurricane Harvey.

“This was the first reimbursement from FEMA,” Orange County Judge Dean Crooks said. “It was approved by Congress a while back.”

Crooks added this was not new money or grant funds. The funds were to replace what the county has already spent. In this case, it was funds spent on debris removal.

“This gives us more breathing room,” Crooks said as the county is currently working on the budget for the 2018/2019 fiscal year.

The county has spent approximately $14 million for debris removal.