Editorial: Expensive lesson in playing nicely with FEMA | Press-Register Commentary - al.com

Editorial: Expensive lesson in playing nicely with FEMA | Press-Register Commentary - al.com: "UNDER MOST circumstances, a small-city mayor would be anything but 'delighted' at the prospect of writing a check for more than a million dollars to the federal government. But considering what could have happened, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft’s reaction was justified.

Less than a year ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was asking Gulf Shores for $14.23 million from FEMA’s payments for the massive clean-up jobs after Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Auditors for the Department of Homeland Security questioned Gulf Shores’ method of paying for the sifting and removal of debris and also for putting sand back on the beach after storm surges washed it further inland."