photo by: Joselyn King

Ohio County Commissioner Randy Wharton, left, Commission President Zach Abraham and Commissioner Don Nickerson review and sign documents during Tuesday morning’s commission meeting.

WHEELING — Ohio County will apply for a grant that could mean at least $2 million for supplementing the needs of flood victims.

County commissioners Tuesday gave their approval to seek funds through the United States Department of Commerce Disaster Supplemental Grant Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Melissa Marco, projects director for Ohio County, explained County Emergency Management Director Lou Vargo and Assistant Director Tony Campbell had been seeking resources to further assist those impacted by the summer’s flooding when they discovered the grant.

“That grant, you can apply for anywhere from $2 million to $10 million,” she said. “It is a supplement to FEMA (funding). You can rebuild buildings, repair infrastructure, purchase furniture, all those things. This will help supplement all of that.”

Marco added she had not seen such a $2 million grant before. There is no match needed from the county to receive the money.

“I definitely think we would be a wonderful candidate for it after what happened here in June,” she said.

Vargo and Campbell will take the lead on gathering needed statistics and information needed for applying for the grant, she continued.

Vargo announced that Sept. 22 is the last day representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be in Ohio County to accept FEMA grant applications.

So far, there have been 519 residents who registered to receive the money, and $5,915,636 has been awarded by FEMA, according to Vargo. A federal disaster declaration provided $11.7 million in FEMA flood relief funding to West Virginia to assist those affected by June flooding in Ohio and Marion counties.

The average replacement for homes is $43,600, he reported.

The FEMA locations at the Triadelphia and Valley Grove community centers, as well as a third location at the Army Reserve Center in Clator, continue to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Those affected by the loss of a residential bridge in Triadelphia may apply as an individual for funding to replace the span, Commission President Zach Abraham added.

Some were told they could not apply for the individual assistance, but the FEMA representatives later contacted their headquarters in Philadelphia and learned that they can, Vargo explained. Bridges are eligible for the funding.

Vargo also reported the county has received donations of items from locals wanting to assist flood victims with re-establishing their homes.

Two truckloads of “very nice” cherry kitchen cabinets arrived in Ohio County for distribution, as have truckloads of used furniture collected by McKinney Furniture in Columbiana County, Ohio.

Commission Randy Wharton asked Vargo how the county could best get these items into the hands of people who need them, rather than having them apply or having to go through bureaucracy to receive items they need immediately.

“People are in a transition period right now,” Wharton said. “Some of them have money. Some of them don’t know if they are going to get money – or if it’s going to be enough. Isn’t there a direct line for access?”

Vargo said victims can apply through the county’s Long-term Recovery Program for items such as cabinets and donated drywall. For more direct assistance, they should contact Staci Stephen, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley; or Susie Nelson, executive director for the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley.

The victim may contact them at 211, the United Way’s number “for essential community services.”

The victim then will be assigned a caseworker to work with them directly, according to Vargo.

Commission meetings typically take place on Tuesday evenings, but this week’s meeting was set for 8 a.m. on Tuesday.

The commission will next meet again at 8 a.m. on Sept. 16 at the City-County Building, 1500 Chapline St., Wheeling.