JERRY CITY – Gov. John Kasich
has authorized that the State Disaster Relief Fund be opened to the village in the wake of the Nov. 17
tornado.However, Jerry City must still see if they qualify to receive the money."The State Disaster
Relief Program is a program that has several thresholds that the community would have to meet," said
Wood County Emergency Management Director Brad Gilbert this morning. "And they’re taking a look at
those numbers, I believe, today."The Disaster Relief Program provides assistance to local governments
and eligible private non-profits for costs associated with debris removal, emergency protective measures,
and permanent work, according to a press release from the governor’s office."Probably the biggest thing
is whatever expenses the village had in response and recovery had to exceed one-half of one percent of their
total budget. And that’s kind of a hard threshold to meet."Gilbert noted that the disaster relief fund
was additionally opened up to Perrysburg Township, which was also hit by a tornado in the storm, "but
Perrysburg Township took a look at their numbers yesterday and they did not meet the threshold."Gilbert
noted that, while Jerry City itself declared themselves to be a disaster area after the storm, the opening
of the fund to them by the state does not mean the state designates them as a disaster area."You have
to have a lot of expenditures," said Gilbert of qualifying for state monies, "and, again, compared
with your budget. Obviously Jerry City’s budget is very small, so they may or may not come close."The
Governor’s office additionally announced that the village of Cloverdale, located in Putnam County, also has
had the relief fund opened to them.