Blenheim Repays FEMA Debt

By Joshua Walther

BLENHEIM - During the Blenheim Town Board meeting on Wednesday night, Supervisor Don Airey alluded to a debt that was incurred to FEMA from before his time as supervisor.

He explained that Blenheim was hit hard by the flood in 2011, and they were offered aid from FEMA soon after the natural disaster.

However, after the supervisor from that time had cashed the amounts given, it was revealed that FEMA had accidentally handed out duplicate payments and demanded two recaptures to recoup those funds.

The first, in the amount of $109,000, was successfully appealed by Supervisor Airey and wiped clean from their debt. However, the second recapture in the amount of $79,172 could not be appealed and now lands on the Town to pay back.

While it was a loss that was felt by all of the Board, Supervisor Airey said that the Town is in a good position to pay it back, and so transferred the corresponding amount out of the general budget and into their disaster fund for FEMA’s collection.

In other news, Supervisor Airey also announced the winner of the fuel bid from last month.

After a short back-and-forth with several companies to get their exact fuel specifications, a motion was passed at the last meeting to allow Supervisor Airey to award the bid following a closer inspection of the numbers. And on Wednesday, he said that Blenheim will go with Mirabito.

Mirabito was not the lowest bidder, as that was Buell Fuels. But after hearing rumors of no deliveries, he wanted to play it safe and go with their trusted supplier.

“We just can’t take that chance,” Supervisor Airey finished.

Finally, the Board grimly noted that they have collected their fourth $500 fine in the wake of their new building permit law.

Supervisor Airey explained that those found building without a permit will face the same consequences, and he hopes that word of mouth will soon spread to limit the trending habit.

“I don’t like it,” he said, “but the law is having an effect. We are leveling the playing field.”