County receives 'pre-draw' approval for $1.3 million
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

Jasper County Judge Mark Allen signed the papers for Jasper to receive the next $1.3 million in disaster relief while dining on a fish plate at the Jasper Lion's Club rodeo ticket sales grand opening last Friday.

Grant writer Leslie Waxman tracked him down after spending the morning with FEMA officials getting "pre-draw approval" for this second draw down.

Jasper received the first draw of $487,000 in late March, after wrangling, line by line, over every detail. Jasper was the first county to receive funds from the Community Development Block Grant funds; larger counties like Jefferson still don't have their money, according to Allen.

"We're relieved," Waxman said. "I believe we're moving in the right direction."

Allen added, "It's a good step forward, but we're not done yet."

Both of these draws are all from the first round of funding, $74.5 million allocated to Texas, of which Jasper was scheduled to receive $2.2 million to reimburse the county for expenses incurred during and after Hurricane Rita. April 13 Texas legislators announced a second round of funding from the federal government had been released, $429.6 million, by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (HUD).

The Jasper Newsboy reported in error that six million dollars has been earmarked for Harris County; the correct number is $60 million. By the time administrative fees and other counties claim reimbursement for the expense of evacuations and housing storm refugees, Allen said he thinks "we are looking at about $22 million" to be claimed and divided by as many as 29 counties in East Texas.

Debris removal and flood plain management are two priorities Allen has listed for the funds.