AP: Maine agencies have trouble getting reimbursed for hurricane help

[Eugene]

Maine agencies have trouble getting reimbursed for hurricane help

May 15, 2006

PORTLAND, Maine --Reimbursements from the federal government are slow in coming
to some Maine agencies for expenses incurred sending people to help with the
cleanup of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Cumberland County Sheriff's Department, which sent three deputies to Louisiana
in the aftermath of the hurricanes, has been told it might be two years before its
gets reimbursed for $15,000 in expenses -- if it gets paid back at all.

Some Maine officials say they've been told that the Federal Emergency Management
Agency doesn't have enough money to cover the reimbursements. Some reconstruction
officials in Louisiana say the delay can be blamed on a heavy volume of claims and
paperwork.

Whatever the case, the failure to pay could determine how willing agencies might be
in the future to step forward and help, said Cumberland County Sheriff Mark Dion.

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Full article: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/05/15/maine_agencies_have_trouble_getting_reimbursed_for_hurricane_help
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If FEMA doesn't come through, the states are on their own.