Dougherty County is awaiting word on whether a recent request for federal reimbursement fordebris clean-up on private roads will be granted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency under its Private Property Debris Removal grant. The request was officially submitted on November 1, 2018, and included a document from the Department of Health, showing proof that the enormous amount of debris on many private roads “constitutes an immediate risk to public health and safety.”

According to the request (see attached letter), submitted by Dougherty County Administrator Michael McCoy, “the determination was based on the widespread nature of the debris throughout the County and the threat the debris poses to our citizens. Without the approval to remove debris from these roads, we believe the debris will remain on private property for an unreasonable amount of time causing extended and continuing threats to public health and safety and increased damage—and cost—to improved property.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not send debris crews onto private roads, where some debris stacks stand a story-high in front of homes and along paved roads. Dougherty County has to meet certain standards for the PPDR grant (see attached letter). The County received a PPDR grant following the January 22, 2017 tornado for clean-up of privately-owned mobile home communities.

“It is our hope that FEMA will agree with us there is an immediate need for debris clean-up on private property across Dougherty County,” said Commission Chairman Christopher Cohilas.

“There are many families that live on these private roads, who are contending with paying exorbitant  amounts of money to remove massive amounts of debris and haul it to the landfill.  Some folks simply won’t be able to afford it, and the debris will sit there, becoming a health and an economic hazard. These folks pay county, state and federal taxes, and also need help recovering from this disastrous Hurricane.”