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Montgomery County has received every dollar it was eligible for in COVID-19 Public Assistance Program reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A final payment of $1,657,190, received last week, brings the County’s multi-year pandemic cost-recovery effort to a successful close.
In total, FEMA reimbursed the County more than $176.4 million in COVID-19-related expenses. That figure substantially exceeds the amount sought by or awarded to any other Maryland jurisdiction.
“I am very pleased to share that all of our COVID-19 reimbursement requests have been fully processed and that Montgomery County has received the money it was eligible for,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “We were determined not to leave any possible funds on the table, and I am very proud of what this team accomplished.”
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The recovery reflects years of detailed work: compiling documentation and justification, processing submissions, arguing appeals, and participating in audits. The County secured the full eligible amount despite a constantly shifting federal landscape and evolving rules and processes.
“Supporting local, frontline efforts to protect our communities from COVID-19 was one of our top priorities throughout the height of the pandemic. That’s why it’s important that these federal reimbursement funds are disbursed as they were intended, and why I worked alongside the County to ensure just that,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
Dozens of partners from the State and Federal government, the nonprofit sector, and service providers also lent their expertise.
“The COVID-19 pandemic devastated communities across America, and cities and counties bore much of the added costs to keep government running for our people,” said U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin. “I am pleased that Montgomery County secured all the federal reimbursement funding it was eligible to receive. In Congress, I will keep fighting to responsibly invest taxpayer dollars in the Free State for the programs and services we depend on.”
Numerous County departments played a role in providing help to those in need, including the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, and Office of Food Systems Resilience. For most participants, the work was well beyond their regular duties.
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“This large team worked tirelessly to make sure Montgomery County received the maximum amount possible to recover from the impact of COVID-19,” said County Executive Elrich. “I want to thank everyone involved for their dedication. Their results have contributed greatly to the County’s ability to rebound from the pandemic.”
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Read the original article at mcgov
