By Associated Press
Bay Minette, AL – Baldwin County officials plan to challenge a federal audit that says the county owes the government $10.5 million in hurricane debris cleanup payments.
In its report last month, the Office of Inspector General for FEMA says Baldwin County was reimbursed millions too much in cleanup costs following Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and hurricanes Dennis and Katrina in 2005.
County Commissioner Wayne Gruenloh says the county has done everything properly. County officials says they followed the guidance offered by FEMA at the time.
The audit report says private contractors removed and disposed of nearly 2.6 million cubic yards of debris, about 2.2 million of it after Ivan.
It says more than $7.7 million of the challenged payments stem from "excessive" charges for "tipping fees," or disposal costs, at county landfills.