(Lawrenceville, Ga., Jan. 5, 2010) - Gwinnett County has submitted requests for reimbursement of about $2.6 million in flood-related expenses to date. Grants Manager Tanikia Jackson said federal and state funds will cover about 85 percent of eligible expenses for an anticipated total of roughly $12.7 million once all the paperwork has been processed. Commissioners approved an agreement on Tuesday with the Office of Homeland Security/Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) to accept the first payment of about $10,000.

Eligible expenses include the cost of repairing roads, shoulders, guardrails, sidewalks and County buildings, plus debris removal from County parks and staff salaries and benefits for emergency work during the record-setting floods last September. The initial payment is for repair work on Arcado Road, Old Norcross Road, Patterson Road and Cole Drive. The FEMA Public Assistance Program reimburses 75 percent, GEMA provides 10 percent, and the County must pay the remaining 15 percent.

"I want to thank our finance department staff for diligently pursuing all opportunities to obtain reimbursement for these flood-related expenses," said Commission Chairman Charles Bannister.