FEMA Denies Reimbursement to Lanier County for Hurricane Helene Cleanup
By Carol A. Gasser Moore |
LANIER COUNTY, Georgia – Lanier County’s request for federal reimbursement for post-hurricane cleanup has been denied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), leaving the county on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in storm recovery costs related to Hurricane Helene.
“We’d [Lanier County} be in pretty good shape if we can just find the records,” said Lanier County Administrator Neil Ginty at the end of a County Board of Commissioner’s meeting recently.
The refusal centers on what both FEMA and GEMA described as “insufficient documentation and non-compliant procurement practices,” according to county records reviewed by Lanier County News.
Lanier County had contracted with private firms Rostan Solutions, LLC and CTC Disaster Response, Inc. to conduct debris monitoring and emergency cleanup after Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage in October 2024. The county submitted detailed time logs, contracts, and invoices documenting over $1.2 million in services rendered.
But FEMA auditors cited several compliance issues, including a lack of competitive procurement records and missing FEMA-required project worksheets and force account labor forms. Officials also flagged the absence of verified debris removal records and questioned inconsistencies in invoice submissions.
“They told us the work was done, but the paperwork just wasn’t there,” said a person familiar with FEMA’s decision who requested anonymity. “Without the right forms, justifications, and a complete audit trail, they can’t issue reimbursements—even if the work was real.”
County officials have since discovered that records for November 2024 appear to be missing entirely, with no explanation yet from contractors or staff. Those logs may have accounted for as much as a third of the project’s timeline.
A Lanier County resident actually filed an Open Records Request to the Lanier County Board of Commissioners on March 17, 2025. The Lanier County News has understood that the date was immediately following the last date that Lanier County Board of Commissioners could file for reimbursement. That individual obtained all records from the BOC prior to the storm and to that date, obtaining almost 500 pages of records. That set of records fully confirmed what FEMA and GEMA cite as the Lanier County record keeping problems. None of the missing records were provided and that individual was told that he was given copies of all of the records that the Lanier County BOC had.
If the Lanier County BOC suddenly ‘finds’ the missing records, it is likely to mean that they failed to comply with Georgia Open Records law when they certified the records provided to the Lanier County citizen as being complete or “all they had.”
There is some indication that the Lanier County BOC staff could ‘recreate’ the missing records, but the requirements they must meet are stricter and require increased verification as to the validity of the information that is provided after the FEMA and GEMA deadlines. Persons signing and vouching for the records could be prosecuted over the truthfulness of the records.
The Lanier County News learned that on separate dates, FEMA staff then GEMA staff visited Lanier County to review their records with the county employee that was in charge of creating and keeping the records. As the LCN understands it, that BOC employee did not have high enough literacy skills to be able to read the existing records or explain them to the federal and state agents.
Lanier County Board of Commissioners Chair Alex Lee has not publicly commented on the matter but confirmed in an email to constituents that “the county is working with Lanier County Emergency Management Agency Director Tony Galardo to resolve the matter and resubmit eligible claims.”
The county may consider filing an appeal through FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program, but the process could take months—and reimbursement is not guaranteed.
Link to the records from the Lanier County Board of Commissioners provided in response to a Lanier citizen’s request for all of their Hurricane Helene Recovery records.
https://www.laniercountynewsonline.com/2025/07/17/fema-open-record…rs-in-april-2025/
Lanier County commissioners: Chairman Alex Lee, District 2 Commissioner Hank Smith, and District 3 Commissioner Susan Bowling were present at the July meeting. Absent were District 1 Commissioner Benny Ryan and District 4 Commissioner Dennis Fender Sr.
I would like to know where the author obtained information about this because it’s not from the BOC. This is totally false information made up by someone. I know very few people read the articles printed here but the tax payers deserve to know the truth not an opinion from a made up author.
Wow. Maybe not toss the employee under the bus next time. That was more than a bit rude.
If anything, the Board is at fault for not hiring a qualified employee and/or not providing a salary that would attract a qualified employee.
Borrow the money, pay your debts and move on. You’ll spend more money and time trying to fix the issue than it is worth.
Best regards,
Merrill Guice
Correct. That employee and his literacy problems are well-known to the employer. That employee was not identified for the obvious reason. I’m a former school teacher and recognize there are many reasons why someone has limited literacy skills, even in this day and age. My personal opinion is the employer has a personal responsibility to manage employees in a way that they are all successful, so the employers work is completed successfully. My world view seems to indicate that the Lanier County BOC administration created a problem that has far reaching effects and it is their problem to solve. A good administrator does not set someone up to fail!
I know personally. I reported my farm road that a 4 person crew camped out for an entire week on the 1/16 dirt road and cut trees as far as 25 yards not feet on my property. Funny part me and the neighbors had already cleaned up the road. Call Alex Lee to come check it out. He came blowed it off and left. Very disappointed. I know the high cost and the citizens of Lanier county got ripped off. There were places that needed the help but this crew played the game and cut good trees off my property beyond any approved barrier. When I finally approached them as to what the heck were they doing they left immediately. Do you think they knew they were guilty and about to get in trouble???? 5 minutes later I rode the entire area trying to find them. No where to be found.