NATCHEZ — Since the U.S. Small Business Administration opened an assistance center Monday at 201 Wall St., 11 people have come in for help with filling out loan applications, SBA Spokesman Matt Young said.

Six people came in Monday, while five people visited the center Tuesday, Young said.

Of those people, he said, six represented businesses, and the remaining five sought help with home loan applications.

“In Adams County, we’ve given out 10 home loan applications and 11 business applications,” he said.

Not all of the applicants came to the center for help, though, he added; that number represents the overall count.

Howard Jones of J.M. Jones Lumber Company said he utilized the SBA help center in Woodville about a week ago, because at that time, there wasn’t one in Natchez.

Owner of J.M. Jones Lumber Lee Jones — Howard Jones’ father — said their levee is still holding, but he still isn’t completely at ease.

“I feel better, and I’m optimistic, but my guard is still totally up,” he said.

SBA has been wonderful for the company, Lee Jones said, and now it’s a waiting game to see what loans they may receive.

“We basically spent all of the money that we made in the last eight or nine years to keep our levee and to keep our sawmill intact,” Lee Jones said. “That’s not to say (the levee) may not blow out tomorrow.

“We’re going to need some help, and that’s all there is to it. We’ve done everything that we’re supposed to do for the SBA loan — everybody’s been very nice.”

In all, Lee Jones said, the company spent approximately $700,000 in out-of-pocket expenses.

“That doesn’t include our lost time, production — that doesn’t go into it,” he said. “(We spent that) just paying for the dirt and they labor and the expenses of all that we’ve done. We’ve kept up with it, and we still have a few bills that haven’t come in yet.”

The two men agreed in saying the SBA application process can be confusing.

“(The application) is very complicated,” Lee Jones said. “There are questions you can interpret (two ways).”

Howard Jones said asking for help is crucial.

“I would urge people to have their I’s dotted and their T’s crossed before sending in the application, and there’s no way you can do that unless you have an SBA (representative) helping you,” Jones said.

“It’s critical, if anyone wants a loan, to sit down with an SBA representative.”

SBA representatives will remain at the center through 6 p.m. Friday.

“Our main focus is to get people to come in (for help) while we’re here,” Young said.

The deadline to apply for physical damage assistance is July 11, and the deadline to apply for assistance due to economic injury is Feb. 13, 2012.

If it’s not possible to get to a center for application assistance, an SBA representative can be reached by called 1-800-659-2955.