County manager outlines Hurricane Helene recovery, hazard‑mitigation applications and pending MOA with state

Burke County staff briefed the Board of Commissioners on ongoing recovery work from Hurricane Helene, including right‑of‑way debris collection, tax‑value impairment appeals, hazard‑mitigation intake and a pending memorandum of agreement (MOA) with North Carolina Emergency Management.

County Manager Brian Eppley reported that the county’s disaster recovery center helped more than 3,500 residents and that about $15 million in individual assistance had been administered locally as of late April. Eppley told commissioners the county’s right‑of‑way debris effort will total about 325,000 cubic yards and that Marsh Trail remains the primary active debris‑processing site with roughly 40,000 cubic yards still to grind and remove.

Eppley said crews have closed and remediated the fairgrounds site and were nearing completion at the East Fleming site; Marsh Trail remained active with an estimated 15 additional days of grinding at the current pace. He also reported completion of outreach and collection for hundreds of reported right‑of‑way debris locations and successful coordination with gated communities after right‑of‑entry agreements.

On hazard mitigation, staff reported an intake of 18 property owners for mitigation options. Fourteen acquisition applications, three elevation applications and one renovation application were in the pipeline; the county sought authority to allow the chairman and county manager to sign county endorsements for FEMA‑approved hazard mitigation projects. Commissioners adopted a resolution to authorize those signatories.

Eppley briefed the board on a proposed NC Emergency Management MOA (referred to as the NC Smart model in briefings) to accelerate waterway and private‑property debris removal. The county has also sought a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mission assignment; Eppley said multiple written requests had produced limited feedback and that state emergency management had proposed a project‑management alternative. The MOA had not reached a final form for county signature and the item was deferred so staff could obtain a final version from state counsel.

Commissioners approved a separate resolution (Resolution 2025‑15) at the meeting by roll call and then deferred approval of the NC Emergency Management MOA until the next regular meeting after staff review of the agreement from state counsel.

Why it matters: Levers from FEMA, the state and federal corps determine who pays for debris removal and which properties qualify for mitigation; the county’s choices affect remediation speed, county finances and whether private property gets cleared under public assistance rules.

Discussion versus action: Commissioners adopted a resolution to authorize county signatories for hazard‑mitigation endorsements and accepted the manager’s report; they did not sign the MOA because a final version was not yet provided.