Mississippi County working to acquire disaster assistance

Friday, August 5, 2011

CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County will accept the first disaster assistance that comes in and sort out "double dipping" conflicts as they come up -- if they come up.

County Clerk Junior DeLay said during the regular Mississippi County Commission meeting Thursday that he is requesting from Debra Johnston, project specialist for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, "pictures, maps -- all the supporting documentation" for damages in the spillway.

The FEMA representative had just supplied the county with cover sheets for projects written up so far, DeLay said, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires third-party damage assessment for the county's claim.

DeLay said he can think of no better outside documentation than "what has already been accepted by another branch of government."

FEMA documentation includes equipment and labor costs that are all cross referenced, DeLay said, with the project reports being "pretty comprehensive."

Presiding Commissioner Carlin Bennett noted the Corps would pay 100 percent while FEMA only reimburses 75 percent of disaster costs and wondered if the Corps would perhaps reimburse the county for its 25 percent and pay the other 75 percent to FEMA directly.

DeLay said the county should "just go through the process right now like the Corps isn't involved."

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