COUNTIES WANT STATE TO EXPAND DISASTER REQUEST, ADD THEM

Several Southeast Missouri counties are asking the state's emergency management agency to expand its original flood disaster request to include them.

Cape Girardeau, Scott, Perry, Mississippi and Pemiscot counties have made the request.

The appeal process is in the works and word from the president should arrive within two weeks, said Mark Winkler with the state emergency management agency.

Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan declared a state of emergency May 17. A disaster assessment team came in and surveyed the counties hardest hit by the flooding.

Based on information from the assessment team, President Bill Clinton declared Benton, Boone, Cole, Franklin, Gasconade, Jefferson, Johnson, Miller, St. Charles, St. Clair, Ste. Genevieve and St. Louis counties as disaster areas, opening the door to public assistance funds from the federal government. The declaration came June 2.

Winkler said damage in Southeast Missouri counties wasn't as severe, so those counties weren't included in the first go-round.

"Counties that feel they have damage can appeal," Winkler said. "They can file for an amendment to the original declaration and be added in."

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials visited Southeast Missouri Monday and Tuesday to determine if the local counties meet damage guidelines. They did visual inspections and talked with people affected by the flooding.

The assessment team is now in St. Louis compiling information, which will be forwarded to the state government and then to the president, Winkler explained.

Two forms of federal assistance are possible: Public assistance and individual assistance.

Public assistance goes to local governments, road districts and levee districts. Individual assistance goes to property owners.

For now, county governments and flood victims wait to hear if the disaster area has been expanded.