Written by Dan Radel, Asbury Park Press-

    Sea Girt and Point Pleasant Borough were awarded grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover 90 percent of costs that were a result of superstorm Sandy, officials confirmed. The boroughs will cover the remaining 10 percent.

   “This is very welcomed. We’ll be able to pay back our loan and refurbish our cash reserves,” said William Schroeder, Point Pleasant’s mayor. “It will make it easier on our residents.”

    Point Pleasant will receive $1.3 million in federal funding for the use of reimbursing township expenses and also contracts for the loading, hauling, and disposal of debris from Sandy, according to a news release from Congressman Chris Smith, R-N.J.

    Schroeder said the borough will use the money to pay back a Community Disaster Loan of $1 million that they borrowed to fund their cleanup. He said Point Pleasant spent about $1.4 million for Sandy cleanup.

    Sea Girt will be reimbursed $1.6 million for repairs, however that is for their boardwalk reconstruction only. The total cost of that project was more than $1.7 million.

    The borough now must take certain steps to ensure that they get this money.

    “This is just preliminary approval for that project. It’s the first hurdle. We still have to submit documentation to FEMA for a review process,” said Lorraine Carafa, Sea Girt’s borough clerk and chief finance officer.

    Carafa said the grant does not include other Sandy related costs that were incurred such as debris removal. According to Mayor Ken Farrell, they have asked FEMA for about $2.5 million in total.

Originally published at: http://www.app.com/article/20130911/NJNEWS/309110128/FEMA-approves-3-million-two-Shore-towns

Congressman Smith's announcement of funding:
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