FEMA Should Recover $3.5 Million of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to the City of Gautier, Mississippi - Hurricane Katrina

Our audit objective was to determine whether the City accounted for and expended Feder~1 Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds according to Federal regulations and FEMA guidelines. The City received a Public Assistance grant award of $5.3 million from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (State), a FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Katrina, which occurred in August 2005, The award provided 100 percent FEMA funding for debris removal activities, emergency protective measures, and permanent repairs to buildings and facilities. The award consisted of 9 large projects and n small projects.