OTTAWA — Losses to Franklin County because of the Christmas blizzard may top $1 million. County emergency director Alan Radcliffe said overtime, road chemicals and fuel will be higher than expected. He said the figure doesn’t count damage to roads. The state is compiling a list of damage estimates sustained by the nearly 45 counties that were hit by the blizzard, he said. The state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been at odds over federal policy changes – FEMA has decided not to count the cost of snow removal, which would cut the statewide damage estimate, he said. If the losses reach the federal disaster threshold, the county and cities will be reimbursed up to 85 percent of their expenses for dealing with the blizzard, he said. If not, the county and cities will take a hefty hit, he said.
