WESSON — Additional funding is available to help cities andcounties improve their Homeland Security measures against thethreat of weapons of mass destruction, but there are conditions forspending the money, state officials said Thursday.

“This is not a gravy train,” said Robert Latham, MississippiEmergency Management Agency (MEMA) executive director, Thursdayduring an application workshop at Copiah-Lincoln CommunityCollege.

Latham, who is also the state’s Homeland Security director, toldhis county and city counterparts that $11.5 million in supplementalfunding for fiscal year 2003 has been approved to help allMississippi counties and cities improve preparedness againstpotential terrorist attacks. An earlier round of funding allocated$4.5 million to counties and cities with populations over 10,000people.

“The challenge for all of us is taking this money we’re gettingand using it for the purpose it is intended,” Latham said.

That message was repeated several times during the morningworkshop, which was one of five being held this week around thestate. MEMA officials said the money was not to be used to purchasebulletproof vests, fire trucks, police cars or similar items.

“The point is Congress did not intend for this money to be usedto buy something for somebody to go ride around,” said MEMAAdministrative Assistant Charles Carter, although adding thatservice vehicles like a pick up truck or a mobile command centercould be allowed.

Latham said there are three top priority areas for spending themoney, which is being allocated on a population basis. Those areasare personal protection equipment, detection equipment anddecontamination equipment. Local directors may also use funds tobuy items from a list of approved equipment, but only after otherareas are addressed.

“Until the first three are met, you will not be able to spendthis money on anything else,” Latham said.

Latham encouraged pooling of city and county resources and amulti-discipline use of the funds to help police and fire, civildefense and emergency medical services. He said there is noquestion of choice with Homeland Security.

“We cannot choose to do that,” he said. “We have an obligationto do that.”

During the workshop, Levell Blanchard, Homeland Security plannerwith MEMA, went through the application process with those inattendance. Communities not represented at a workshop could stillapply for funds, but officials said that would slow down theprocess because the application would have to be discussed withthose communities individually.

Application packets should be submitted by Sept. 5. Officialssaid there is about a 30-day period until grant award notificationand then another 30 days before communities could receive theirfunding.

Carter indicated that use of funds would be monitored. He saidthe state must update its statewide response strategy by the end ofthe year or it will not be eligible for Homeland Security funds infiscal year 2004.

“We have to determine the capabilities of everybody we givemoney to,” Carter said.

Jefferson County Sheriff Peter E. Walker, who attended theworkshop with Assistant Civil Defense Director Brenda Hammitt, saidofficials in his county would follow the guidelines and use thefunds for the intended purpose. While he did not identify anyspecific purchase plans, he said federal Homeland Security fundswould be beneficial for counties and cities with limited resourcesin preparing for potential threats.

“It will be just wonderful. It will be great,” Walker said.

Meadville Mayor Gregg Tindle has attended several HomelandSecurity workshops related to funding and other concerns.

For smaller communities that do not have much training to dealwith bioterrorism or similar threats, Tindle said an “up the line”approach is used to quickly involve county, state and federalemergency response officials. Still, he was appreciate of theopportunity to get money to raise emergency responsepreparedness.

“It’s needed. It makes you more aware,” Tindle said.