Scott County to get help in bug fight from Missouri Foundation for Health

BENTON, Mo. -- Scott County will take advantage of a program to fight bugs.

County commissioners discussed during their regular meeting Tuesday a program by the Missouri Foundation for Health offering insecticide applicators and chemicals to communities in areas recently affected by flooding.

MFH, which was established with money won in a lawsuit by the state of Missouri against Blue Cross Blue Shield when the company went from a public to private entity, is the largest not-for-profit health foundation in the state.

Amber Scudder, county emergency management director, recalled being advised the county could get up to 40,000 gallons of insecticide through the program to combat the high insect population resulting from floodwaters.

And if they don't already have one, "each city can get their own applicator," Scudder said. "The only expense for the county or city is the gas to drive around to spray."

Scudder said she has already contacted all municipalities in the county about the program.

"I have not had one city say, 'No, they didn't want it,'" she said.

Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said he was advised by Barry Cook, administrator of the Scott County Health Department, that Sikeston has already applied for chemicals.

"We're putting in for Sikeston, too -- just for extra chemicals because they already have an application machine," Scudder said.

In other business during Tuesday's meeting:

* The declared disaster period ended noon Monday, Burger said.

No damage occurring after that time is eligible for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he said.

Burger noted that work yet to be done from damage which occurred during that period is still eligible, however.

Commissioners noted that July 8 is the deadline for area residents affected by flood or extreme storm damage to apply for assistance from FEMA's Individuals and Households Program and that they must contact FEMA or the State Emergency Management Agency directly.

"Calling us doesn't get them in the SEMA/FEMA database," Burger said. "They have to register themselves."

* An informational meeting for those interested in being emergency management volunteers is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. June 28.

"I think creating a volunteer database is very beneficial to the county all the time but very beneficial in the event of a disaster," Burger said. "It gives us knowledgeable contact people for us to rely on to bring information into the system."

Scudder said she has prepared numbered "Scott County EOC support" ID badges which she can issue to volunteers on a temporary, as needed basis during emergencies.

* Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn said by adding up receipts from the county's two half-cent sales taxes, he gets a total in which the county appears to be up about $52,000 this year as compared with last year at this time.

Burger noted, however, that revenue received from the county's half-cent general revenue sales tax in June was down $3,600 as compared with June 2010. "But we're still up $25,000 for the year," he said of that tax.

Pertinent address:

Benton, MO