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Source: The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg, S.儲存C.Oct. 13--As the partial shutdown of the federal government continues, local groups are preparing for the long term while hoping it doesn't last much longer.Orangeburg County, for instance, receives federal money for everything from deputies to water and sewer lines."The public is not seeing the damage because we are doing a good job of managing it behind the scenes. But if this thing goes on too long there will be no way to manage it," Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said.The federal shutdown began Oct. 1 after Congress was unable to come to an agreement that would allow passage of a continuing resolution to fund the government.Young said county projects funded through U.S. Department of Agriculture grants are being delayed by the shutdown, including money for water line extensions in eastern Orangeburg County."These projects are pretty much on hold," Young said. "We are having problems with the USDA projects because of the fact that reimbursement paperwork cannot be signed due to the government shutdown. We are going on week two and these projects are two weeks behind."Reimbursements have to be signed by a USDA field officer and then the county is able to pay the vendors. The shutdown means field officers are not on the job."Vendors are not going to keep working without payment," Young said.Young said the Goodbys Creek wastewater system project near U.S. 301 and U.S. 176 is near completion and has not been greatly impacted.The county has readied itself for a scenario such as the shutdown, he said. A tax anticipation note will allow the funding of projects that will be repaid with future tax collections."We are not caught out there without having any payments in," he said.Young noted about four Orangeburg County Sheriff's deputies are paid through the U.S. Department of Justice's COPS program."These funds are requested to be paid quarterly," Young said. "If it comes down to becoming a detriment to cash flow and we can't find a way to make it without the federal money, those folks will have to be laid off."But Young said the county should be OK under the tax anticipation note, at least through the first of the year when taxes are paid.The shutdown could soon have an impact on low-income pregnant women and low-income women with children ages 1 to 5.The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control says it will continue to maintain the Women, Infants and Children program through Oct. 31. The program is funded through the USDA.DHEC is using its savings to help pay for the program and may have to furlough a total of 3,500 employees throughout the state in the 2013-2014 fiscal year due to the shutdown, state Director Catherine Templeton said. She said furloughs will not be needed if the agency is reimbursed by the federal government in the future.WIC is a supplemental nutrition program for low-income new mothers.In The T&D Remini storageion alone, approximately 4,660 people depended on WIC aid between Oct. 1, 2012 and Sept. 30, 2013.The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, will also continue to receive funding through the end of the month. SNAP is also facing a reduction in stimulus money at the end of next month, resulting in a reduction in benefits."The federal shutdown has no immediate impact on DSS benefits and services in South Carolina," DSS Director Carolyn Sherman said. "DSS will update the public, as needed."Sherman said there are 13,791 households representing 27,636 people receiving SNAP benefits in Orangeburg County."Citizens can continue applying for benefits," she said. "Citizens can always contact 2-1-1 services to find out about food banks in their local area."Calvin Wright, the executive director of the Orangeburg-Calhoun-Allendale-Bamberg Community Action Agency Inc. said he's getting worried as the shutdown continues."What really concerns me is Head Start," he said. "The funding year ends Oct. 31 and begins Nov. 1. If Congress has not gotten their act together to at least have a continuing resolution, there will be no funds for the current year."Without funds, Head Start cannot be staffed and programs cannot continue, meaning the closure of Head Start and Early Head Start, OCAB's two main programs. Head Start is a full-day, pre-school program for children from low-income families. OCAB receives about 99 percent of its funding from the federal government."That (Oct. 31) is the drop-dead deadline," Wright said. "We are still up and running and moving right along, but if they don't get this done within the next couple of weeks, there are some problems ahead."Kenisha Grimes, Orangeburg County Veterans Affairs Officer, said whether or not veterans will continue to receive some benefits will hinge on how long the government is shut down."If the government does not open up, it could stop the November checks," Grimes said. "We are on schedule to still do claims processing and to make payments to compensation, pension, education and vocational rehabilitation programs.""These are anticipated to continue through late October," she continued. "In the event of a prolonged shutdown, claims processing and payments in these programs will be suspended when available funding is exhausted."When funding will reach that point, Grimes says is "up to Congress."But in the meantime, Grimes said the Orangeburg County VA office is open and staffed as it is funded through the state.VA medical centers, clinics and other health services have advance appropriations for 2014 and will remain open."Veterans will still receive medical care," Grimes said.___Contact the writer: gzaleski@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5551.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, S.C.) Visit The Times and Democrat (Orangeburg, S.C.) at thetandd.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage