Order in the Court: Texas County Makes Jury Duty Faster, Cheaper

Calvin Ball’s appointment to the Howard County, Md. Council in 2006 launched a county government leadership career that will have lasted more than 20 years when he leaves office after two terms as the county’s first African American executive. 

Two overlapping disaster recovery efforts are now unfolding in Washington: a sweeping executive-branch review of FEMA and a bipartisan legislative push to reform the agency through Congress. County officials should understand both tracks, what they could mean for local governments and where each stands today.

Counties that suffer major damage during natural disasters would benefit dramatically from a FEMA Act proposal to do away with reimbursement and instead offer counties recovery grants up front.