Mississippi County explores other ways to fund flood repairs

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Mississippi County may get assistance on disaster recovery costs not covered by FEMA from another federal program.

During their regular meeting Thursday, county commissioners approved applying for a special Community Development Block Grant which if awarded would pay the 25 percent not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

That 25 percent -- the county's 15 percent and the 10 percent usually reimbursed by the State Emergency Management Agency -- works out to $1,097,136 for Mississippi County, County Clerk Junior DeLay said.

The county's application is being prepared by the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission at Dexter, DeLay said, but it wasn't the BRPC that informed county officials about the opportunity.

DeLay said he heard about the grant opportunity from Daniel M. Gruen, Charleston's city manager.

"Dan said he wasn't notified," DeLay said. "He said he was just on the Department of Economic Development website and happened to see it."

The federal funding is being provided to the Missouri Department of Economic Development. While the block grants are usually limited to $500,000, that ceiling was lifted for these grants, DeLay said.

DeLay said the application will need letters of support from state Rep. Steve Hodges, 161st District, and state Sen. Jason Crowell, District 27.

"It is a competitive grant," DeLay said. The grants are only available to cities and counties that were included in the federal disaster declaration for flooding.

The public hearing required will be during the Nov 3 meeting, DeLay said.

Pertinent address:

Charleston, MO