Harbor to get $1.17M advance
Decision of the State can help speed recovery effortsCrescent City Harbor repairs could be accelerated by an advance of 1.17 million in funds from the Agency of California emergency management.
Mike Dayton, Acting Secretary of Cal EMA, said Thursday the agency abandon its normal reimbursement to help rebuild the port quickly.
"We are treating it as an extraordinary measure," Dayton said in a telephone interview with The Daily Triplicate.
Many federal and state aid that was promised to the port after a tsunami caused by an earthquake in Japan decimated the boat basin interiors March 11.
Kelly Huston, Deputy Secretary of Cal EMA, said the agency is trying to catch up that no reconstruction of the port and docks. He said refunds project generally follow an established process.
"They go out, do the work, submit receipts and are reimbursed if they are qualified," said Huston.
Instead, Dayton said Cal EMA is fronting 1.17 million dollars to speed up the process.
"Without the money in advance, we would have to wait for approval from FEMA, which would take six weeks," said Dayton.
Harbormaster Richard Young said he spoke to representatives of Cal EMA Wednesday but had not heard of the decision to advance funds. He said that it will be a huge boost to the bottom line of the port.
"We need to carefully plan our cash flow," said Young. "There will be months where we will have millions of dollars in bills."
He said the port will "have about $ 35 million project over the next 30 months," which can create a cash flow problem while waiting around refunds.
Young said the port is moving forward with its plans to secure a contractor to dredge, repair of the slope of rock around the port, the installation of piles and place new docks.
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