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Franklin County moves to pursue NRCS buyout funding, names ER Assist as FEMA applicant agent
Summary
The county authorized applying for NRCS EWP recovery buyout funds and designated ER Assist consultant Erin McCauley to act as the county’s applicant agent for FEMA and Kentucky emergency management for two recent floods; staff reported 22 properties approved so far with an estimated county local-share of $112,000 and 14 additional properties pending.
Franklin County Fiscal Court on Sept. 10 authorized staff to apply for NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Recovery Buyout Program funds and approved a resolution designating ER Assist (Erin McCauley) to act as the county’s applicant agent for FEMA and Kentucky Emergency Management for the Feb. and April floods.
County staff said the buyout program currently includes 22 approved properties and an estimated county responsibility (local share) of about $112,000 to date; program staff also reported there are 14 additional property applications pending. Erin McCauley explained ER Assist’s role as consultant and agent for federal and state recovery activities.
Magistrates raised several substantive questions: whether all properties are in the unincorporated county (staff confirmed they are), concerns that participating properties become unbuildable in perpetuity under deed covenants, and requests that staff provide the addresses of properties approved so magistrates can track long-term implications. One magistrate asked for a contingency that the court receive a list of addresses to monitor future impacts; staff confirmed buyout covenants would be recorded and that no property could be redeveloped without complying with program rules.
Judge Miller praised staff coordination on disaster funding and noted the county was among the first five in the state to receive initial federal disaster assistance consideration.
Next steps: staff will execute the grant application process with ER Assist authorized to act as agent and will provide additional property-level details to the court on request.
