CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s new director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management says one of his top tasks is to improve how the state complies with FEMA.
West Virginia has been under heightened oversight from the Federal Emergency Management Agency since late 2015. It’s the only state, aside from Puerto Rico, operating under increased scrutiny.
“We’ll establish checks and balances where we can not get like this again,” Michael Todorovich, the new emergency management director, said today on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”
Michael Todorovich, the new Director of West Virginia’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, joins @HoppyKercheval to talk about his plan to improve West Virginia’s standing with @fema. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIAoe1 pic.twitter.com/ObKGrSKTvu
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) November 19, 2018
FEMA has established a series of steps for West Virginia to reach compliance. The state is supposed to demonstrate better oversight of federal grant sub-recipients, such as local governments.
“Through all of this, FEMA has been particularly good about working with West Virginia,” Todorovich said.
For example, he said, FEMA lifted its mandatory manual reimbursement requirements as West Virginia responded to the devastating 2016 floods.
He said he plans to meet with FEMA representatives next month to determine what West Virginia still needs to do.
Todorovich said he’s been authorized to hire a chief financial employee.
“Their primary job will be to develop a baseline for where we are to come back and present and fully develop a map forward to fix what is sitting there,” Todorovich said.
In an interview last week with MetroNews, FEMA Region III administrator MaryAnn Tierney made note of recent progress in West Virginia.
“We have been working very closely with West Virginia for months around this,” Tierney said. “We’ve done a lot to support them, and they’ve been supportive of our efforts as well.”
She singled out Todorovich and Adjutant General James Hoyer for praise.
“I feel very positive about the direction Homeland Security and Emergency Management is heading in,” Tierney said..
“I am enthusiastic about Mike Todorovich’s and General Hoyer’s leadership. I think the Governor’s Office has taken an interest in the work processes in that office.”
Todorovich’s predecessor as Emergency Management director was Jimmy Gianato.
Gianato, who was the state’s official contact with FEMA during the period the state got in trouble, was removed as director in late October. He remains as Homeland Security adviser, a second role he already held.
Todorovich said he has not been in contact with Gianato since the change.
“He is not here as far as within the operations of our shop. That was released totally to me,” Todorovich said. “I have the full responsibility of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the State of West Virginia.
“Jimmy was appointed the Homeland Security adviser. He will reach out in those terms, specifically for planning and those things for Homeland Security.”
The 2015 letter from FEMA informing West Virginia of corrective actions was addressed to Gianato.
When the Legislative Auditor started looking at the situation, both the current and immediate past secretaries for the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety said they had not been informed about the letter.
Todorovich has now been made FEMA’s official contact in West Virginia.
He described it as his duty to tell others if West Virginia runs afoul of federal agencies.
“I would get the letter, I would do an initial reaction to the letter, the adjutant general would receive the letter immediately after me if he didn’t get it through distribution, we would schedule a staff meeting, and we would work through it and determine the right course of action,” Todorovich said.