Lee Smithson stated that MEMA would receive $3,217.184 for FY2017. This is a decrease of $3,873 377. The agency requested $3.8million for FY2017 in October. Smithson pointed out that MEMA’s 2006 state audit found that it needed $6.1 million in funding, 160 employees and a plan to respond to large-scale natural catastrophes in the state. He said that MEMA did not receive this level of funding in 2009. Smithson said, “After the December 23rd tornado eruption I had an elected official from a county where there was flooding ask why the disaster assessments were taking so long.” Smithson explained that the reason initial assessments took so long was because MEMA is starting to feel the effects of budget cuts every year since 2009. MEMA’s biggest budget cut for FY2017 was due to the decrease in interagency fees. Smithson was informed that $344,000 was a result of no state agency charging any fee for services. “My concern is that the interagency fee was not discussed by either the house nor senate. Smithson said that there wasn’t any discussion on Saturday until the committee held a closed-door conference. Smithson noted that his accountants have not come up with the same amount in interagency fee estimates. The “best” number they’ve given is $260,000. Smithson said, “If we had discussed this earlier, I could have come to them in February to give them a number to show them how much interagency fees they collected and paid.” Curently MEMA is funded by the Mississippi Department of Health through a federal grant. This grant was used to manage their communications in the event of a public emergency. The Department of Homeland Security houses their Fusion Center. Smithson asked each chamber of the House of Representatives for 13 vacancies to ensure that the agency was fully staffed in February. He was told he could, because there was money available. Smithson filled the two remaining vacancies on Friday and stated that he doesn’t plan to fire anyone. Smithson stated, “I’m no laying anyone off, I gave the word to my people.” Smithson will be working with the legislature to ensure that MEMA gets all funding it can receive for the coming year.