A spat between the city and county over emergency management responsibilities is keeping Warren County from collecting a $34,822 federal grant administered by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.

The problem is Warren County’s comprehensive emergency response and radiological emergency response plans are not up to date. Until they are, the grant money will not be released. Outside of three counties not participating in the grant, Warren County is the only one of the state’s 82 counties without an updated plan, MEMA spokesman Greg Flynn said.

City and county officials began meeting with MEMA officials in March about updating the plans. A May 1 deadline was identified to make the appropriate revisions to the plans, which were last updated in 2007. On Thursday, Warren County Emergency Management Director Gwen Coleman submitted to MEMA the last drafts of the plans, but they don’t include the city’s emergency response functions.

MEMA Director Mike Womack said “it’s conceivable, but not practical” that the plans would be approved without the city’s response duties outlined. Womack downplayed the lack of cooperation between the city and county, said citizens should not be worried about their safety and added he is sending members of his staff to Vicksburg in the coming weeks in hopes of resolving the issue.

“This is just a very temporary situation. We think we can get the city and county to better integrate their plans,” Womack said. “We’re working with them and in the next few weeks we think we can get this taken care of.”

Coleman said city officials have told her repeatedly since May that its legal department is still reviewing the plans. She said the draft plans were submitted without city input at MEMA’s request.

“We can’t incorporate (the city) into the plan if we don’t know what their situation is,” Coleman said. “We’ve been waiting a long time.”

City Attorney Lee Davis Thames Jr. would not elaborate on discussions between the city and county, saying only, “We’re still trying to work with the county, and we hope to come up with a successful plan.”

Even if a plan is approved by MEMA and the grant funds are released, the city would not get a share of the $34,822, which can be used for personnel and equipment. Womack said the county is currently not at risk of losing any further funding due to the outdated plans.

County Administrator John Smith said the Warren County Board of Supervisors will likely give formal approval to the draft plans sent to MEMA next week.

Disputes between the city and county over emergency management response stem back five years to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Then-Mayor Laurence Leyens criticized the county and state for not having adequate emergency response plans and, thus, created a separate city emergency management department and response plan.

Since, the city has also complained the county has not shared reimbursement money it receives for Grand Gulf Nuclear Station-related emergency drills. The city participates in the drills at its own expense, while the county maintains the reimbursements do not cover the entire cost of participation.

All counties are required to have a MEMA-approved comprehensive emergency management plan spelling out the responsibilities of various emergency response departments, such as police and fire, in the event of natural disasters, chemical accidents or other emergencies.

While a handful of cities in the state have independent emergency management departments, counties are responsible for managing emergency management operations and reporting to MEMA.