Published: July 01, 2008 09:28 pm         

Vigo to get 90 percent back on flood costs

Commissioner notified of increased federal funding Tuesday

TERRE HAUTE — Vigo County officials learned Tuesday that the county will be eligible for a 90 percent reimbursement on costs associated with June flooding, instead of a 75 percent reimbursement.

Gov. Mitch Daniels, along with governors from Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, earlier this month asked that Federal Emergency Management Agency funds be increased, as was done after Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans in 2005. Federal dollars are paid through the state of Indiana, which in turns pays local government agencies for reimbursement costs from the flooding.

Vigo County Commissioner Judith Anderson said the governor’s office called the county Tuesday notifying them of the increased federal funds.

“It is great news,” Anderson said. “Just as an example, we turned in a early estimate of $11 million on roads and bridges, and instead of matching 25 percent of that, it is 10 percent and that is a huge number [in savings] for the county. The county can also use in-kind services to pay its match and that is a big break for us.”