May 26--MOULTON -- The Caddo-Midway Volunteer Fire Department received the $31,000 reimbursement Friday that Lawrence County Administrator Peggy King had been holding onto for seven months from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The payment came three days after Commissioner Joey Hargrove chastised King at a County Commission meeting for not distributing the $31,316 check to the fire department.
Other departments in Lawrence County also said they have not received promised payments. King, who was not at work Friday, had maintained that she was told by Alabama EMA and FEMA officials not to distribute the checks until an audit was complete and the county had received all reimbursements.
The money from FEMA reached King's office in October, but she said at Tuesday's commission meeting that the audits still had not begun.
King said Thursday she learned that an audit didn't have to be done before funds could be released, and that she was still awaiting reimbursements for other fire departments.
Meanwhile, county commissions in Limestone, Morgan and Franklin counties said they have distributed all reimbursements to volunteer fire departments for work related to the April 27, 2011, tornadoes.
Caddo-Midway assistant district director Kyle Brown picked up the fire department's check at the commission office.
He said a commission office employee called him Friday morning to tell him he could come get it.
"I'm really relieved," he said. "I'm really appreciative of Commissioner Hargrove to go to bat for us and help us receive our funds, and Commissioner (Bobby) Burch.
"They were both a big part in helping us get our funds."
Other volunteer fire departments in the county are asking the commission to take action so they can receive their FEMA reimbursements.
King said Thursday she didn't know when the departments would receive their money and that she would continue to look into the issue next week.
Volunteer firefighters said they need the money now.
"The state has said the money is ours to be given to us," said Jeff Nicholson, Chalybeate volunteer fire chief. "Somebody needs to step in. We worked hard, and we should get our money."
Nicholson said the department must borrow $20,000 for a matching grant portion for a new fire truck -- money they would not have to borrow if they received their FEMA reimbursement.
Speake Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Wiley said though volunteer firefighters didn't work for the money following the tornadoes, the departments should receive what they were promised after he spent two or three days filing paperwork.
"They did make me fill out all these records and told us we would get money, but I haven't seen anything," he said.
Burch, the commission chairman, said the commission shouldn't have to direct King to make the payments, but he is prepared to make a motion to release the money at the commission's next meeting if necessary.
"If it's due, our administrator should pay the money, and it needs to be paid in a timely manner," he said. "If it comes to a point where we have to make a motion on it, we certainly will.
"But it shouldn't ever have to come to that."
Hargrove and Commissioner Mose Jones also said if necessary, they too would request the payments are made.
Yasamie August, public information manager for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, said the departments should have already been paid for services rendered from the 2011 tornadoes.
"They (county officials) can distribute it however they see fit to pay whatever expenses they incur," August said. "So the information about them being told to wait until after an audit -- no -- that would not be necessary. We want them to use that money to cover their needs."
Copyright 2012 - The Decatur Daily, Ala.
