Georgia County Owes FEMA Nearly $558,000

A federal audit says Cobb County, Ga., must repay about $558,000 it received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after a severe storm in 2009.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the audit found the county received dual payments from insurance and FEMA on some projects to repair damage to public facilities. Overall, the county received $7.7 million in assistance for the projects, along with debris removal and overtime for emergency responders.

County officials say the amount owed is closer to $293,000. County finance director Jim Pehrson says Cobb didn’t receive all the funds referenced in the audit.

Across the state, nine people died and 714 homes were destroyed during the September 2009 storm. More than 28,000 individuals applied to FEMA for disaster relief funds.