West Virginia Director of Emergency Services Jimmy Joe Gianato presented the Mingo County Commission with a check for flood reimbursement at the Gilbert groundbreaking for the Slabtown, Tamcliffe and Paynter Bottom water project, held Wednesday, Aug. 26.

West Virginia House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White said approximately $180 million state and federal dollars have been appropriated for repairs after the May 9 flooding in Mingo County .

County Commission President John Mark Hubbard said the county has spent approximately $2.9 million and expects to receive a reimbursement of $2.8 million from the state. This reimbursement is contributed to the action of Gov. Joe Manchin, state legislators, and the county officials, said Hubbard.

He added during the flood which occurred approximately five years ago the county spent around $2 million and only received $1.5 in reimbursement, loosing around $9 million.

The morning after the flood, officials were already accessing damage to take the proper steps to speed aid to Mingo County, Hubbard explained.

“The County worked with FEMA to get this reimbursement,” he stated. “We also grabbed Michael Sparks, county prosecutor,, because we wanted to do everything legal.”

Gianato stated that this was only a small reimbursement and that largers ones would be presented to the county in the near future.