Mississippi County now receiving FEMA funds

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Funds obligated in August by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for four of Mississippi County's recovery projects totaling over $62,000 have begun to arrive, according to County Clerk Junior DeLay.

DeLay updated the county commission on disaster relief funding during its regular meeting Thursday.

A payment for one was received week before last, two more last week and the fourth is expected to arrive early this week, he said.

Hopes that FEMA would get new disaster recovery funding with the start of a new federal fiscal year Oct. 1 were not in vain.

DeLay said FEMA obligated almost another $500,000 for the county as of Monday.

"To date, a total of $547,529.62 has been obligated by FEMA," he said.

Based on how long it took for the State Emergency Management Agency to forward funds previously obligated by FEMA, it may take awhile for the county to receive that money.

"I've been told that's just a case of them being understaffed," DeLay said of SEMA's slow disbursement.

The county has a total now of $4,457,251 in projects submitted to FEMA so far, according to DeLay.

Debra Johnston, the FEMA project specialist assigned to the county, should be done verifying damage in the county by the end of next week, DeLay said.

DeLay said Johnston is still working on the project for County Road 520.

Presiding Commissioner Carlin Bennett said he was advised the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will fully reimburse the county for repairs to County Road 520.

Not all disaster recovery news this week is good, however.

The county's 15 percent of the $4.4 million is about $669,000 which, county officials noted, is about 60 percent of the county road and bridge department's total annual budget. County officials are hoping the county's claim against the corps will cover that.

There was also some bad news about Missouri Disaster Relief funds from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

"They are already out of money," DeLay said. "That entire $150,000 has already been distributed."

DeLay said those funds were actually from private donations. "There was no tax money involved at all," he said.

Whether additional Missouri Disaster Relief funds become available or not depends on whether more donations come in, DeLay said.

Pertinent address:

Charleston, MO