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Board allocates funds for landfill pump repairs, approves state‑of‑emergency extension
Summary
Following Hurricane Helene, the board extended the local state of emergency to Jan. 10, 2025 and approved $31,000 in immediate repairs to leachate wells and pumps; county staff reported FEMA claim totals and preliminary damage estimates.
Tazewell County supervisors approved emergency and operational spending Dec. 3 to keep the county landfill functioning while the county pursues disaster reimbursement.
Supervisor Mister Young reported that 1,677 FEMA claims had been filed by residents after Hurricane Helene and provided preliminary county damage tallies: about $3.8 million in aggregate residential flood damage, roughly $1.2 million in wind damage and approximately $11 million in agricultural losses, including an estimated $8 million in timber damage. "We had a total of, 1,677 claims filed with FEMA by our residents," Young said in the storm recovery briefing.
Separately, county engineering (Ken Dunford) told the board leachate pumps have been ingesting silt and failing; engineers recommend raising three vertical wells, repairing four pumps and purchasing materials. The board voted to grant $31,000 for the immediate work and discussed using prior landfill funds or contingency if FEMA reimbursement does not arrive quickly. County staff said FEMA could cover up to 75% of eligible costs but that the recovery is a multiyear process.
Board members also approved contingency spending to dredge a stormwater pond (estimates near $38,000) and conduct a required tank inspection, with combined work potentially totaling roughly $50,000–$60,000. Staff said the pond and tank work will help reduce leachate and capacity issues in winter runoff.
What happens next: Engineering staff will schedule the well raising, pump repairs and pond dredging and will report back on project completion and FEMA reimbursement status. The board’s extension of the local state of emergency to Jan. 10, 2025 preserves procurement flexibilities and supports ongoing claims processing.
No independent damage verification was presented at the meeting; the county characterized all figures as preliminary and subject to further assessment and FEMA review.
