WHAT HAPPENED: The waters went down and the recovery kicked in as North Carolinians began to get a true assessment of what is likely to be the most damaging hurricane to hit the state since at least Hurricane Floyd in 1999.
WHAT IT MEANS: One estimate put the number of damaged residential and commercial properties in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia at 700,000, with the bulk of them in this state.
ON TAP: A special legislative session will be held Oct. 2 to begin providing some state aid to address the disaster, with the expection of meeting a week later to do more.
THE SKINNY: There is a long road ahead for recovery in southeastern North Carolina, and unfortunately, with a contentious election season also in full bloom, political wrangling around the recovery effort has already begun.
The hard work of hurricane recovery has begun in towns and
cities across southeastern North Carolina, and we hope the information that
follows is helpful in that task. It remains crucial to work through county
Emergency Management Offices as they coordinate local, state and federal
efforts.
This School of Government temporary website provides a
range of recovery-related information, including FEMA rules, and a recently
posted a FEMA Disaster Cost Documentation Spreadsheet can be used to help meet
requirements so that you can have the best opportunity for having eligible
expenses reimbursed.
This information sheet provides information on rules
related to debris removal in order to receive reimbursement by FEMA. The N.C.
Division of Emergency Management is also warning local governments that FEMA
rules for so-called Direct Administrative Costs cannot be contracted without
public bidding unless the contract is under the $10,000 micro-purchasing
threshold.
The N.C. Building Inspectors Association, in collaboration
with the Office of State Fire Marshal, has set up a response team to assist
communities with abnormal inspection load. To make use of this resource,
contact your local Emergency Management representative and request assistance
from the Disaster Code Enforcement Response Team (DCERT) or find additional
information
here. It is important to note that state law requires
electrical inspections for flooded homes and businesses before electricity can
be restored.
The Golden Leaf Foundation is managing distribution of funds
through the N.C. Hurricane Florence Relief Fund, a charitable disaster assistance fund set up by the state. Grant funds may be awarded to
units of local government and 501(c)3 nonprofit tax-exempt organizations, and
eligible projects include provision off temporary housing and rental assistance
and provision of emergency supplies. Projects must be located in a county under
the federal disaster declaration. Find more about the relief fund
here.
Meanwhile, in response to storm, the Division of Water Infrastructure has extended its deadline to complete the fall round of applications for water infrastructure. The deadline has been extended more than a month, to Oct. 31. Find more information
here.
State agency staff offered several suggestions Wednesday to
assist local governments that face challenges in operating their water systems.
The suggestions were made in response to
an examination of water systems’ fiscal health and operations by
an interim legislative committee. At the outset, the presenters acknowledged
that in most cases, circumstances such as population and business loss or
natural disasters have led to the water systems’ distress. In response, the
presenters—experts overseeing the state’s water infrastructure funds and local
governments’ finances—suggested that the legislature appropriate millions
annually to fund solutions. They said those solutions could include
regionalization and other arrangements designed to set these water systems on a
path toward long-term viability. A representative from the Office of State
Treasurer Dale Folwell also prompted committee members to look at creating a
class of municipalities called “historic charters,” which would relinquish some
taxing authority to county governments, but would keep in place an elected
municipal board and limited municipal services. Legislators indicated an
interest in all ideas proposed, and agreed to consider them further once they
received formal endorsement from agency heads later this fall. Ultimately, the
committee will propose legislation for introduction in the 2019 legislative
session. Contact:
Erin Wynia
A new report from the National League of Cities recommends ways that municipalities can adapt their recycling programs in response to Chinese policies that eventually will mean a complete ban on solid waste imports. NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony said cities need to think more critically about waste management, recycling, and domestic market opportunties and development ahead of the ban. China has historically been a huge importer of recyclables to feed its manufacturing industries, and as such has been a key driver of demand for many of the recyclables collected by cities and towns, including paper and plastics. China's new policies established a ban on mixed paper and plastics earlier this year, and is set to ban all solid waste imports beginning in 2020.
