District says public adjuster found $5 million in flood damage across 20 buildings; Hampton High under separate FEMA review

District recovery staff told the Carter County School Board that a public adjuster reviewing storm and flood damage identified about $5,000,000 in damage across 20 buildings (excluding Hampton High School) and is negotiating with the insurance company while district staff prepare FEMA documentation.

The staff member said the adjuster has itemized damage at multiple schools and is determining which losses are eligible for insurance versus FEMA assistance. The recovery staff said the adjuster’s final report was expected by Monday or Tuesday following the meeting and that some damage payment documentation must be submitted to FEMA by the following Friday.

Hampton High School remains the subject of a separate FEMA project. District staff said FEMA regional coordinators have conducted site inspections, and that Dr. Carpenter has met weekly with FEMA personnel at Hampton High in recent weeks to support assessments. The speaker said FEMA projects have been created for Hampton High School, the Hampton temporary school site, Loudland and Duffield.

Recovery staff described a technical impediment that could limit rebuilding at one site: the district’s sewer system may be located in a regulated flood area and TDEC or FEMA rules could bar rebuilding the system in its current location. The staff said consultants and contractors are being asked to assess whether it is physically and legally possible to reconstruct the sewer system on the existing property; if not, the district may need to buy land outside the floodplain and relocate infrastructure, which would greatly increase project cost. The speaker said updated flood‑zone maps are also complicating estimates.

Board members asked about the public adjuster’s compensation. Staff confirmed the adjuster’s fee is contractually calculated as a percentage of the delta between the insurance company’s original denial and the amount ultimately paid by the insurer (i.e., the adjuster is paid from insurance recovery), and that the distinction from FEMA funds is important.

Staff also said the adjuster found wind damage to several roofs that had not previously been a focus amid the district’s water damage assessments. The report will itemize line items such as fencing, bleachers, athletic turf and contents for affected schools and will list whether those costs are recommended for insurance or FEMA filing. The speaker said the old bus garage property is included in the adjuster’s review and that debris removal and demolition for structures deemed unsafe may be part of the claim.

No formal action was taken during the meeting; staff said they would circulate the adjuster’s final report to board members when it is received.