State Aid Disaster

Disaster reference information Emergency Repair Resolution Disaster Guidelines Disaster Worksheet examples – prepared by counties who have gone through a FEMA disaster http://www.dot.state.mn.us/safinance/disaster.html

State aid disaster account Portion of the Highway User Tax Distribution (HUTD) is set aside to assist counties in the event of a disaster A disaster is an event that causes damage greater in value than 10% of the county’s last construction allotment

Changes made in 2013 The practice of allocating funds from the State Aid Disaster account rather than issuing them to the county was changed. Encumbering allows for better tracking of the funds usage & repayment of the unused funds.

Method prior to 2013 Did not track individual projects – paid all the money out on one master project Counties must maintain a detailed spreadsheet tracking the actual costs & actual receipts of the disaster projects & include this accounting with the final request for each project to the DSAE.

Open disaster project which received 100% upfront If Disaster Funds were received and not spent, or projects received FEMA or Federal ER funding, those funds must be repaid to the Disaster account.

Current disaster process After a disaster occurs the county must contact the DSAE & request a disaster assessment Disaster team is formed based on the State Aid Rules Assesses the damage Provides the estimate to SALT

Encumbrance is created in the County State Aid Disaster Account for 100% of the estimated amount under the master project number that is provided by the county If damage is isolated & only a single project number is needed the funds will be paid on the master project number. If damage is wide-spread & more project numbers are needed funds will be released from the master project & encumbered under the other project numbers, up to the initial damage estimate.

When projects are let A State Aid Payment Request can be submitted for the 95% of the disaster eligible work Remaining 5% is encumbered and will be paid when the project is complete and all costs verified Upon final, any unspent funds will need to be returned to State Aid Unspent funds that remain encumbered will be released back to the County Disaster Fund

Federal Emergency Relief Comments from the Program Accounting Unit

Comments from program accounting The quality of the information that the Program Accounting Unit has received for the State Aid Emergency Relief Projects for the last events has been very good. Thank you for your efforts!

Helpful hints for Federal ER projects You can include the Final Inspection Report with the completed DDIR when the project is authorized. If this is missing it will slow down the closing process with FHWA. (A copy will be on our website soon or you can contact lori.peterson@state.mn.us.state for a copy. You can include multiple Emergency Relief projects/DDIR’s sites on the Inspection Reports (you don’t need one for each site). Final payment will be withheld until the Final Inspection Report is submitted. Verify that your backup paperwork & the coding activity matches what is requested & authorized for reimbursement.