Gustav blows in paperwork
Published Saturday, September 27, 2008
NATCHEZ — Adams County officials now have a different type of Hurricane Gustav debris from which to dig out — paperwork.
Adams County, along with other counties in Mississippi, just recently received the presidential declaration as a disaster area.
The county is now eligible for state and federal funds for the preparation for and clean up of Gustav.
But meticulous record keeping is required in order to receive those funds.
So to prepare city and county officials — not just from Adams County but also Wilkinson, Amite, Clayton and Claiborne counties — Dan Munger, public assistance officer with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency gave a debriefing Friday morning.
Gathered in the Co-Lin Multi-Purpose Room, Munger told attendees how to file paperwork and the qualifications for funding. He reassured everyone that MEMA officials will be around to answer any questions.
MEMA External Affairs Director Jeff Rent said while the process can be difficult, the capability of the staff should ease challenges, especially after MEMA’s experience with Hurricane Katrina.
“We actually, as a state, have more experience with public assistance,” he said. “We have a very well informed, knowledgeable staff.”
Preparing the documents, or project worksheets, is vital in getting the funding and with poorly filled out forms come problems.
Munger said during Katrina, frustrations arose from problems with project worksheets.
“Sometimes the documentation wasn’t what it always needed to be,” he said.
Debris removal will also be paid for by the cubic yard.
The presentation continued to break down categories, rules and stipulations into great detail.
Adams County Emergency Management Director Stan Owens said all of the information was beneficial.
“This was very helpful,” he said.
Public assistance should not be confused with individual assistance.
Public pertains merely to local government agencies. Individual assistance is applicable for a sole county resident.
Rent said it’s unlikely Adams County will receive individual assistance.
“Nobody (in Mississippi) is eligible right now,” he said.
Gov. Haley Barbour requested individual assistance for only three counties in the state — Washington, Hancock and Harrison counties.
Rent said FEMA has the requests but has not acted yet.
In fact, he said assessment teams are going back down to those counties to get more information to plump up the original request.
Adams County just doesn’t appear to meet the requirements, especially without the governor’s backing, he said.
“Unfortunately, Adams County had people without power and there was some damage but not enough to request for individual assistance,” Rent said.