Officials in the central Texas town devastated by a fertilizer plant explosion earlier this year finally are moving forward with distribution of money collected from private donations.
John Crowder of the West, Texas, Long-Term Recovery Center said as many as 20 families could see checks next week from the $3.6 million in donations contributed after the April blast that killed 15 people and injured 200 others.
In a television interview, West Mayor Tommy Muska said he's heard complaints from residents about the slow pace of distribution but said legal and logistical hurdles had to be overcome until and after the center received tax-exempt status.
He also said federal regulations required families filing for help exhaust FEMA and other resources before getting they become eligible for donation money from the center.
