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Commissioner presses staff over delays in $3.1 million storm recovery SHIP program
Summary
At the Jan. 28 Taylor County meeting Commissioner Bighle sharply questioned staff and the contracted consultant about why no housing recovery projects have started from $3.1 million in SHIP funds for Hurricane Adelia; staff said verification is ongoing and promised an updated applicant spreadsheet next week.
Commissioner Bighle criticized county staff and the contractor managing SHIP disaster‑recovery funds at the Taylor County Board of County Commissioners meeting on Jan. 28, 2025, saying residents remain without assistance months after funding was awarded.
"How many projects have been completed from the $3,100,000 that we have received for disaster recovery from Hurricane Adelia?" Commissioner Bighle asked. County staff answered, "None. None have been started," and explained applications remain in verification.
Bighle said residents had been repeatedly asked to resubmit the same documents and asked why the contractor had not produced results. She asked whether the county could terminate the consultant for poor performance. Melody, a county project staffer, said staff speak with applicants daily and that she had recently provided a list of roughly 10 applicants who are near qualification. Melody and other staff said the consultant will meet with applicants on Thursday and that staff are monitoring progress.
County staff told commissioners the consultant is receiving a 10% fee on the $3,100,000 allocation; that equals "over $300,000," a commissioner noted. Staff said they had discussed adding an addendum to the contractor's contract and that switching contractors could add delay because a new vendor would need to assemble records and resume verification work.
Commissioner Bighle asked to be copied on correspondence and requested an updated spreadsheet tracking applicants. Melody said she would email an updated spreadsheet first thing the next morning and copy LaWanda.
Why it matters: SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) disaster‑recovery dollars are intended to help households repair or rebuild after storms. Commissioners said they expected quicker progress for residents who remain in unsafe housing conditions.
What staff said they would do: Staff committed to provide an updated applicant spreadsheet the following week and to report back on the consultant's site visits and next steps. No formal action to terminate the consultant was taken at the meeting; commissioners said they would weigh whether to replace the contractor if sufficient progress is not shown.
Direct quotes from the meeting appear in the record, including Commissioner Bighle’s repeated concern that "we don't even have the first project started" and staff acknowledgement that applicants are still undergoing verification.
