Meeting on Quake Relief Funds Planned

A public hearing is scheduled this morning to gather input on how to spend $2.8 million in federal block grant money received by Ventura County following the Jan. 17 Northridge earthquake.

Scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors chambers, the hearing will give people an opportunity to pitch various projects and programs that meet federal requirements.

Supervisors already have a list of staff recommended allocations.

The recommendation made by Chief Administrative Officer Richard Wittenberg’s office suggests the supervisors award more than $1.5 million to the Fillmore and Piru areas--two of the county’s most-damaged communities.

The federal Housing and Urban Development grant money would be used to rehabilitate homes and businesses that were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake.

Fillmore City Councilman Roger Campbell said the city could never had afforded the temporary buildings that now house several downtown merchants without the grants, which were promised earlier this year.

“We’ve been working very closely with the county and the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, knowing this was on its way,” Campbell said.

The staff recommends that the bulk of the remaining money be spent on various projects in the unincorporated areas of Ventura County. The cities of Oxnard, Ventura and Moorpark would receive less than $100,000 combined.

The hearing today is the final chance for members of the public to comment on where the money should be spent.