On July 20, 2015, Barton County was declared eligible for public assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency due to severe storms and flooding that occurred throughout Kansas from May 4 through June 21, Emergency Manager Amy Miller told the County Commission Monday morning.
Now, she said, an applicants’ briefing for township officials, cities, county, school districts and certain non-profit organizations within the county has been set. It is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, at the Barton County Courthouse, Room 101, in Great Bend. “This meeting is for public officials and officers from these agencies and organizations, and elected officials from these entities may be in attendance,” Miller said.
The briefing is a meeting conducted by the state and FEMA to inform prospective applicants of available assistance and eligibility requirements for obtaining Federal assistance under the declared event in the state of Kansas, she said. Applicant’s work and cost eligibility will be reviewed at this time and the public assistance process explained for the disaster declaration.
According to FEMA, when President Obama made the declaration the state and select counties became eligible for public assistance. Entities had already provided information during a preliminary damage assessment meeting to enable the county and the state to qualify for the declaration.
Other counties included were Atchison, Brown, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Cowley, Doniphan, Edwards, Elk, Ellsworth, Franklin, Gray, Greenwood, Harper, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Jewell, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, McPherson, Meade, Miami, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Pottawatomie, Republic, Rice, Stevens, Sumner,Wabaunsee and Washington.
In addition, all counties within the State of Kansas are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
All eligible applicants are encouraged to attend this briefing and learn how to complete a Request for Public Assistance form.
All eligible entities must complete the request for assistance form to be eligible for funds, information from FEMA noted. Even though an entity provided information during the preliminary damage assessment, that will not be considered an application for public assistance.
Miller said four townships, the county and Midwest Energy have already qualified.
For more information contact Miller at 620-793-1919.
