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Feb 02, 2006
2/2/2006
Thursday
NEWS
1
Katrina workers paid $535,000 / Illinois to seek reimbursement from FEMA
MARY MASSINGALE STATE CAPITOL BUREAU
Mary Massingale can be reached at 782-6882 or mary.massingale@sj-r.com.
WHITE
Published: NULL
Keywords: HURRICANES. NEW. ORLEANS. EMERGENCIES. AGENCIES. SALARIES.
EMPLOYEES. REIMBURSEMENTS
Story Type: LOCAL
As evacuees from Hurricane Katrina poured into state-operated shelters in Illinois, the state
Department of Human Services hired nearly 80 emergency employees to work with the evacuees
at salaries sometimes reaching up to $9,000 a month.
The tab for 77 emergency employees hired in September totaled more than $535,000 through
Dec. 15, and was paid with general revenue funds from the budget of the Illinois Emergency
Management Agency. However, that $535,000 will be submitted to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency for reimbursement, according to DHS spokesman Tom Green.
An advocate of good government applauded the state's quick response to the 440 Katrina
evacuees who resided at the five state-operated shelters until December. But Cynthia Canary of
the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform said she hoped DHS officials respected the limited
number of federal dollars available for hurricane relief.
"We don't want to be overspending FEMA resources in Illinois when FEMA resources are really
needed in New Orleans," Canary said.
She questioned some of the salaries of the emergency employees.
Albert Pritchett, 73, of Chicago was paid $8,166 a month for supervising the five shelters.
Pritchett is a retired Cook County government administrator, Green said, who earned $20,303
from September through Dec. 15.
Celena Jeffries, 35, of Chicago received $9,000 a month, which totaled $16,773 through Dec. 15.
"She was the statewide coordinator who managed more than 50 caseworkers," Green explained.
Jeffries is a former DHS employee who began in April 1998 but left the agency in the fall of 2004
at a monthly salary of $3,956 as a region administrator for the state's welfare program, according
to records in the Illinois comptroller's office. Green said Jeffries took a leave of absence from her
present private-sector job to help with the Katrina evacuees.
"She was the person selected based on her experience," Green said.
None of the emergency hires got benefits, and their jobs ended by Dec. 19, Green said, noting
that Jeffries had returned to her private-sector job.
However, the comptroller records show Jeffries was hired by DHS on Dec. 20 at a monthly salary
of $4,584 and last received a paycheck Jan. 13.
Green said 10 to 12 emergency employees - primarily caseworkers and a few administrators - are
staying on to help evacuees get housing vouchers, temporary assistance and crisis counseling.
The comptroller's office lists 22 DHS emergency employees as being hired during the week of
Dec. 19. The remaining emergency employees are being paid through FEMA's immediate service
program, Green said, but that funding is set to run out later this month.
Ron Carter, a DHS official in charge of strategic planning, said turning to former employees for
help was a natural choice.
"Most of the emergency hires were former DHS employees because they had the experience,
qualifications, training and familiarity with the agency to hit the ground running," Carter said.
Another former DHS employee was tapped to oversee information technology for the Katrinaevacuee project and maintain a database of all expenses for FEMA reimbursement. Dylan
Livingearth, 36, of Chicago was hired by DHS in March 2003 as head of its management
information systems department. He left in April 2005, earning $6,667 a month, according to the
comptroller's office. His emergency-hire monthly salary is $6,666 and totaled $18,180 through
Dec. 15.
"Maintaining that database is crucial for federal reimbursement," Green said, adding that DHS is
applying for a grant through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that would keep
those remaining emergency hires - including Livingearth - on through June.
Canary said it was "the right thing to do" to take care of and support the evacuees, but she added
a note of caution.
"I hope we did that in an efficient and economical way, respecting that these are limited resources
that need to be directed to where the need exists," Canary said.
End-of-Story