The FEMA flood plain maps saga continues, and the Logan County Commissioners are no less irritated with the federal government over its lack of solutions.

The commissioners on Tuesday approved payment of a bill from Leibert-McAtee Associates for $4,720 to shoot elevations at nine properties. The elevations are necessary to show that Logan County is continuing its efforts to bring property owners, especially homeowners, into compliance with new Federal Emergency Management Administration regulations and flood plain maps.

As many as 12 Logan County properties fell out of compliance when FEMA issued new flood plain maps in 2020. Most of those properties had been in compliance and, as far as Logan County officials are concerned, should be grandfathered into any new FEMA standards.

County Planner Rob Quint has been working with FEMA officials for several months to try to bring the county into compliance with FEMA regulations. That's necessary if the county is to participate in the FEMA flood insurance program. That program makes flood insurance much more affordable than coverage offered outside the program, and flood insurance is required by mortgage lenders for any property within a flood plain.

Quint has been reporting to the Logan County Commissioners regularly, and said Tuesday there are now nine properties that are out of compliance with the FEMA rules.  He said one of the properties is out of compliance by one-tenth of an inch, but the federal agency allows no "wiggle room" in its regulations.

"I think the Commissioners should be allowed to grant a variance up to a certain point," Quint said Tuesday.

Commissioner Jane Bauder, referring to the bill for elevations, asked whether it could be forwarded to FEMA for payment.

"They were the ones who changed the rules, they should be willing to pay the bills," she said.

Board Chairman Byron Pelton said the county would pay the Leibert-McAtee bill, but it would be forwarded to FEMA anyway to show them what the county is having to do to bring property owners into compliance.