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Othello residents say state prioritized private-road bridge replacement; AARP/FEMA preparedness toolkit offered
Summary
A resident praised county staff and state prioritization for replacing a storm‑damaged private-road bridge that serves multiple neighborhoods; the speaker also offered an AARP/FEMA preparedness toolkit to the county.
During public comment on Sept. 2, Alan Briggs, a resident of the Othello community, told the Ashe County Board of Commissioners that the bridge serving four neighborhoods and about 60 homes has been approved as a priority by the state Private Roads and Bridges Fund for replacement.
Briggs thanked county staff — specifically naming Adam, Nick and Patty Gamble — and Representative Ray Pickett for their assistance in getting the project prioritized at the state level. He said engineers have begun surveying the site, conducting soil tests and coordinating permitting with county staff.
Briggs also provided the board with a preparedness toolkit jointly prepared by AARP and FEMA and encouraged the county to use the material in future mitigation and preparedness planning. He said his favorite local fire chief, Commissioner Green, had reviewed and endorsed the toolkit and that the resident group would be available to help with outreach to local AARP members.
No formal board action was recorded on the bridge during the meeting; staff and the presenter said project work and state coordination are underway.
