School districts that were affected by Winter Storm Jonas, which struck New Jersey between January 22 and 24, 2016, are eligible to apply for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). But applications must be submitted by this Friday, May 13.
Winter Storm Jonas walloped the Garden State in January, bringing blizzard conditions with high winds, flooding and record snowfall of up to 30 inches. On March 15, Gov. Chris Christie announced that the Obama Administration had approved the state’s request for a major disaster declaration.
The declaration allowed FEMA to initiate a public assistance grant program for New Jersey counties impacted by the storm. The state Department of Education is working with the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management to notify school districts about the opportunity to apply for reimbursement.
Most of New Jersey’s 21 counties were approved for potential FEMA reimbursement. Costs can include those incurred for snow removal or emergency repairs. Potentially reimbursable costs, in excess of $3,050, include overtime pay to district employees (or payment to contractors) for snow removal; repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the weather event; pot hole repair; fallen tree damage, and repair or replacement of plowed-down signs.
For more information, and instructions on how to submit claims, see the NJDOE’s May 3, 2016 notice to chief school administrators.