Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 16

Casper Star-Tribune Friday, October 4,2002 Geringer to Bush: Change FEMA criteria Sullivan backs Freudenthal when It suffers calamity to the degree that Kaycee did. Small town America Is a treasured Institution that we must retain." Geringer said his request for reconsideration was not a formal appeal of FEMA's decision to deny a disaster declaration for Kaycee. He said he initially did not seek a formal appeal because the review process would have delayed SBA assistance. "Formally appealing FEMA's decision now would still be an exercise in futility, because Kaycee, small, isolated, frontier community, under the current criteria will never meet the requirements for a Presidential Disaster Declaration," Geringer wrote. FEMA policy states that at least 100 homes have to be destroyed or receive major damage before the assistance threshold Is met.

Kaycee lost 80 percent of its businesses and nearly 35 percent of Its homes but because It lost fewer than 100 residences, it did not qualify for a presidential declaration. Because of FEMA's standards, rural America must shoulder a higher burden of the nation's disasters, the governor said. "This criteria Is too arbitrary," Geringer wrote. "The community also sustained approximately $500,000 in damage to infrastructure that didn't qualify for federal Public Assistance." "Kaycee doesn't fit the mold," he concluded. "This won't be the only case.

It's time to break the mold." 249 residents Aug. 27, destroying 12 businesses and 21 homes. No one was Injured. Geringer declared Kaycee a state disaster area the next day and on Aug. 30 asked FEMA for a presidential declaration, which would allow for federal The agency denied the request Sept.

18, but two days later, the Small Business Administration, or SBA, declared Johnson County a disaster area, enabling residents and business owners to apply for low-interest loans to rebuild. In his letter, Geringer said more than loans are needed to help the community recover. "They need direct assistance," he wrote. "Ultimately, what is at stake is the very existence of a community CHEYENNE (AP) Gov. Jim Geringer sent a letter to President Bush on Thursday requesting a change in Federal Emergency Management Agency criteria for presidential disaster declarations.

Geringer also asked Bush to reconsider granting Wyoming's request for a presidential disaster declaration for flood-stricken Kaycee. "As the FEMA criteria now stand, 76 percent of Wyoming towns and cities might suffer a devastating event and not qualify," the governor said. "My letter for reconsideration basically is a fight for all rural America because the standards need to be changed." Flooding caused by 7 inches of rain in a four-hour period struck the town of CHEYENNE (AP) Former Gov. Mike Sullivan has endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dave Freudenthal, saying the former federal attorney is "the best qualified candidate." Sullivan cited Freuden-thal's experience as VS. attorney for Wyoming from 1994-2001 and Freudenthal's work in the Sullivan administration and that of former Gov.

Ed Herschler, also a Democrat. It was Sullivan who recommended Freudenthal's federal appointment to President Clinton. Freudenthal's election would provide a "healthy political balance" for Wyoming, Sullivan said Tuesday at the Hitching Post hotel. "The one-party dominance that we have today is not conducive to a good public policy," he said. "It's not on an even keel." Currently there are 20 Republicans and 10 Democrats in the Senate and 46 Republicans and 14 Democrats in the House.

Freudenthal, who was campaigning in Rock Springs on Tuesday, said he was humbled by the former governor's endorsement. "He's certainly in a position to know what It takes to be governor," Freudenthal said. Sullivan was governor from 1986-1994, when he was succeeded by Republican Jim Geringer, who is now prevented by term limits from seeking a third term. House burns; firefighters go to wrong town arrived at Chimney Lane in Dubois, someone had reported a house on fire in the Red Canyon area near Lander. "Flames were shooting about 40 feet in the air when 1 arrived," said Lander Rural Fire Chief Bob Johnson, the first firefighter on the scene at about 5 a.m.

He said the foot house collapsed within about a half-hour. LANDER (AP) A rural log home burned to the ground after firefighters were dispatched to the wrong address. After a woman who called 911 gave the address 3 Chimney Lane, firefighters were sent to the only known Chimney Lane in the Fremont County system, a road in the Lander area. The house on fire was in the Dubois area. Firefighters then concentrated on a garage and propane tank, both of which were saved.

Good said the house was on a new road that was not on officials' maps. Johnson said that after the house was found, water had to be shuttled in because there are no hydrants in the area. No one was injured. The cause was being investigated. Sheriff's Capt.

David Good said the caller did not give a complete address. "She was very excited, which is to be expected," he said. "Dispatch had to ask several times. She gave the address as 3 Chimney Lane and it came up as Dubois. We tried to call her back but there was no answer." The emergency call was made around 4:15 a.m.

By the time firefighters of achieving class sizes of 14 students, he had found that his own children are more often in classes of 25 pupils. Dawson said the state should "consider putting education back in the private sector." DEBATE Continued from Bl a prime mover in the state's economy in the past, would continue to flourish but, because of changes in technology, would not be a major source of employment. Libertarian Dawson said he was "very supportive of the concept of the incubator" but believes it should be financed by private contributions and would be willing to contribute himself. "1 don't want government involved in economic development," he said. On kindergarten though 12th-grade education issues, Be-bout said he would like to see teachers freed from paperwork so they could spend more time teaching.

"We must stop the battles in the courtroom and concentrate on the classroom," he said. Fruedenthal said the state needs to strengthen its commitment to early childhood development. He also said that, while the state talks I Lowest Morked Price I t-Vy 1 'Jf If 1 TV lhr' WKuni: inU Maverick 12-Gauge 3" Magnum Shotgun BROWNING BwrnmifD -a-P- REMINGTON I iPT Ma9num S9" iInUf 700 ADL or BDLBoft I On9.3W.wontiMw LKt Action Riffle I A lweHtoidte I Orig. 279.W Syntax fed 1 RFBFTTA KtOm mUSA Rrmineton. REMINGTON 1RI3 391 Urika 12-Gauge I 3" Magnum Shotgun Sew Sk ond kncnn nmaasroL Id WINCHESTER ws "ran 'Tl 170 Express a ri HIGHWAY iz-uduqe 3 magnum anuigun MonehnsT M-70 Bolt Action Rifle Orig.

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Chet Edwards, D-Texas. Last year, according to David Sirota, communications director for the House Appropriations Committee's or Democratic ofiice, Wyoming received $192,609,000 in federal highway funding, but the proposed House and Bush budget provides only $165,693,000. Sleeter Dover, director of the Wyoming Department of Transportation, said the House Republican's $27.7 billion would have to be reconciled with the Democratic-controlled Senate's transportation budget of $31.8 billion for highways. "There's still uncertainty as to the final figure," Dover said. "That'll have to be worked out in conference, between the House and the Senate." JF TlUf TMf .001 AslPbfirGQ3 Orig.

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II heron iwtetowns ina' haw besn ai to syies. suk coixt wjbie a', locators. Sone quattes Mel AdKCOIflD A-S 2-M IOOvTC hp miOtS. STATION Con tin sed fro Bl approved up to $225,000 in emergency grant money for the town of Kaycee, which was devastated by a flash flood in August. The money will be used to help the town rebuild infrastructure and public buildings lost in the flood.

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