Black Mountain council hears detailed recovery update as FEMA reimbursements, Hilltop stabilization and dog park repairs advance

The Black Mountain Town Council received a comprehensive recovery update from town staff on March 11, 2025, outlining the status of FEMA reimbursements, road and bridge stabilization, parks repairs and temporary town facilities.

Town staffer Jessica Trotman said the town’s primary recovery funding source is FEMA Public Assistance, which is mainly reimbursement-based, and listed other financing options including a DEQ loan for water-system engineering, a state cash-flow loan, insurance proceeds, fund balance and philanthropic support. “It’s all about funding,” Trotman said during the presentation.

Trotman told council members temporary road repairs and emergency water-distribution fixes are complete and that debris removal for right-of-way is scheduled to conclude April 1. She said a separate FEMA expedited project of about $880,000 has been partially received and work is underway to submit paperwork to receive the remaining funds.

The council heard a status update on Hilltop Road emergency stabilization. Staff said the town must complete formal procurement for engineering, obtain rights-of-entry and follow the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act (the “Uniform Act”) when acquiring property. Staff said an initial appraisal has been completed and that the acquisition process requires multiple notices to property owners, so the town cannot promise a fast timeline; one staff estimate said April was a hoped-for target but not guaranteed.

Trotman said the town plans to use FEMA small-project procedures to replace vehicles and department equipment because small-project rules allow quicker obligation of funds for items with known costs. She said department heads were asked to submit procurement documents so staff can file small-project paperwork; small projects are typically obligated in four to eight weeks once packaged.

Parks repairs: staff said the dog park sustained major damage and that the town plans to purchase fencing, shade structures and to do about $140,000 in stream-bank restoration and stormwater repairs as part of the reconstruction scope. Trotman expressed confidence the town could have the dog park reopened by this summer. Lakeview Center’s top floor remains closed because it is not rated for assembly; staff said they do not yet know the full scope of repairs required to restore assembly occupancy.

Temporary facilities: the town plans to place two FEMA-provided units in the Public Services Building parking lot, with an expected mid-April availability; the units will house public services staff through at least September 2028. FEMA will not cover temporary office space for Parks and Recreation, and those staff will remain at Lincoln View Center unless alternate arrangements are approved.

Golf course and other facilities: staff said the golf course maintenance building and equipment were heavily damaged; engineers estimated high replacement and relocation costs because the maintenance building will likely need to be moved out of the floodplain. Staff said irrigation repairs and equipment orders are under way to prevent additional turf damage this spring.

Trotman and other staff emphasized the multi-step federal review process for FEMA reimbursement and the town’s need to prioritize projects where funds can be obligated. She urged patience while staff continue to package projects and pursue grants and loans that reduce the town’s need to front large sums.

The council asked staff to provide monthly recovery updates and requested a focused water-system update at the next meeting.

The presentation included administration milestones (private-property debris removal applications open through April 15), hazard-mitigation buyouts (six approvals to date) and the status of temporary repairs that will feed FEMA’s documentation for reimbursement.