VIENNA — Maries County has received its funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for recovering from the April 2025 storms, according to Deputy Clerk Renee Kottwitz at the June 18 commission meeting. The western district received $85,114.51, and the eastern district received $81,884.19 from the agency.

However, $387,976 of the requested funds to repair 15 eroded road embankments were denied. Patrick Kleffner, western district commissioner, is planning to appeal the decision. He believes that road embankments were washed out during the storms, but FEMA argues that the county didn’t demonstrate that it was regularly maintained or a direct result of the storms.

FEMA helps local governments with the cost of responding to local disasters, including grants for debris removal and performing emergency medical procedures. To be eligible for public assistance, natural features must be improved and regularly maintained. The site must also be stable, or it must have been stable before the disaster.

“We are trying to go back and see if we can talk them into it,” Kleffner said.

Kleffner later reached out to Kevin Haskin, FEMA program delivery manager. While he no longer manages the project for Maries County, he gave Kleffner the contacts for the appeal.

Storms that occurred between March 30-April 8 of 2025 with straight-line winds and flooding damaged county infrastructure, such as washed-out roads and culverts. The storms also left debris in 20 counties.

These road embankments include rocks at the bottom called riprap to prevent erosion. Kleffner said that because the storms caused erosion, he wants FEMA’s help pay for the cost of repairs.

If FEMA doesn’t cover the cost, the county will still repair the road embankment, but Kleffner said that it may not be as extensive. While the county can make repairs with less rock, he said that FEMA sometimes will “overdo” the amount of rock to ensure a good job.

“But if they’re willing to pay for it, we would put whatever they wanted,” Kleffner said.

After reading the decision, Kleffner didn’t understand FEMA’s argument because about five of the agency’s employees took all the photos and measurements at the sites and saw the erosion themselves.

Rodney Southard, eastern district commissioner, said that it is important to document and show FEMA that the erosion is getting worse and needs to be fixed.

“Documentation is the best way to win the case,” he said.