FEMA Assistance Approved For Connecticut

President Barack Obama has authorized funding additional Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance for Connecticut, making Southington eligible to receive 75 percent of recovery costs.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Friday morning that Obama has signed the declaration to assist cities and towns directly as part of .

“I appreciate President Obama granting this designation,” Malloy said. “while this is good news for the state, and our cities and towns, there is much more work to be done. This really is the beginning of our state’s recovery from this devastating October storm, and even after power is fully restored, we’ll have weeks and even months of recovery on an individual and state, city and town basis.”

The aid will provide reimbursement to municipalities from all eight Connecticut counties for costs incurred for debris removal and emergency protective measures such as personnel overtime, equipment and fuel. The reimbursement provides relief for a 72-hour period, which has not been determined.

Malloy said he would reach out to each town to determine the best period to file for, but is also filing a major disaster declaration that if approved would allow the state a chance to waive that 72-hour requirement.

The announcement comes just in time as Avon town officials are drafting an request for proposal to consider their options for debris removal. The Town Council authorized Town Manager Brandon Robertson to do so at a special meeting Friday and will review the possibility of hiring a contractor to help with the cleanup at another special meeting on Wednesday Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. in the Selectmen's Conference Room in . The town is factoring FEMA protocol so Avon can be eligible for reimbursements. 

The FEMA deputy director visited Avon Friday and town officials expressed their concerns.