FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — City and county leaders in Frankfort are expressing gratitude as FEMA public assistance has been approved to help them continue rebuilding efforts after devastating flooding in April.
Governor Andy Beshear announced the aid for the April flooding and May tornadoes Tuesday.
With this FEMA assistance, officials estimate Frankfort and Franklin County will receive a couple million dollars in aid.
Mayor Layne Wilkerson said the city has already spent $1.5 million on recovery work including debris removal, emergency protective measures, and rebuilding public facilities.
"All that adds up, and we had to remove a lot of debris," Wilkerson said. "So it's important we get reimbursed for that, and it's going to be a big portion, too."
Ray Kinney, the Director of Emergency Management for Frankfort and Franklin County, said this funding takes some of the pressure off local government.
"It's recovering city assets and county assets, it's our bridges and roads and parks, it's to repay for the preparation we did and response to the disaster," Kinney said. "It's so a lot of those uninsured costs can be recovered."
"This is something we're still working on on a daily basis," said Mayor Wilkerson. "We're also looking toward the future, and to make sure Frankfort is more resilient in the future."
Wilkerson and Kinney also thanked the governor, Kentucky's federal delegation, and the president for securing the FEMA funding.
