JACKSON -- Seven landowners in Cape Girardeau County applied for buyout assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but that doesn't mean all of them will accept a buyout.

County commissioners, along with the landowners, are stepping into the program cautiously, with the understanding that turning in an application doesn't mean they have to accept FEMA's offer.

Under the buyout program, FEMA provides 75 percent of funds to buy flood-prone homes, and state and local agencies come up with the remaining 25 percent.

Presiding Commissioner Gerald Jones wasn't sure he wanted to spend any county funds at first, but agreed to go ahead with the application process when he learned the county and landowners could back out at any time.

Jones estimated the county would pay about $35,000 for buyouts, considering the assessed valuation of the seven flood-prone homes. Six are in Dutchtown, and one is on Highway 177.

The Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission is completing the FEMA application for the county.

While at least one of the Dutchtown landowners said she would sit tight until she found out how much FEMA would offer for her house, another, Imogene Dumey, said she was ready to move after two floods in three years.

In 1993, sandbags around her house gave way and let 20 inches of water in, but experience paid off during flooding this spring. Quick action with limestone and sandbags kept the house dry, and Dumey, a 68-year-old widow, called it a miracle.

Kenneth Koch, her brother who lives next door, was flooded in 1993 and this year and also wants to be bought out.

"If they buy me out, I'm going to move," Dumey said. "My sons have to take care of (flood protection) for me, and it's too hard on them. They want me to move to Chaffee."

The buyout applications must be mailed by Friday.