Town manager outlines recovery plan after Hurricane Helen: debris removal, park repairs and FEMA steps

The Fletcher Town Manager reported to the Town Council that post-Hurricane Helen recovery operations are progressing but will take time, with debris removal, park repairs and insurance/FEMA processes still underway.

At the meeting the manager said six resource-distribution hubs had closed and one central distribution point remained active at an industrial site off Macabe Court, and that local churches — Calvary Episcopal and Fletcher Methodist — were also providing provisions. “Water’s back essentially countywide,” the manager said, and noted electric-service restoration was continuing; county situation reports showed roughly 146 remaining customers without power at the time of the update.

Debris removal is being handled under a county contract; the town manager said the county hired a debris-monitoring firm so work can be documented for FEMA reimbursement. The contractor has begun pickups but did not provide a firm date for entering Fletcher. Town staff said the contractor indicated it is expected to cover state, county, municipal and private roads and that crews are “supposed to just show up and do it.” Staff is pursuing Town-owned staging sites of 2–3 acres where tub grinders can process vegetative debris so it can be chipped for removal.

Officials encouraged residents to monitor town communications for contractor arrival times and said the town has waived transfer-station fees to give residents an option to reduce household piles while waiting for curbside pickup; the duration of the fee waiver was not specified. The manager also addressed confusion that had circulated online about recycling service, saying recycling curbside pickup remained active and some callers had been outside Fletcher’s service area despite having a Fletcher mailing address.

Billmore Community Park was identified as the most heavily damaged town facility. The manager said ball-field fences, portions of the greenway and walking trails, and at least one bridge sustained damage; engineers will assess whether bridge repairs or replacement are needed. “We’ll have to determine how much of that hopefully it can be repaired,” the manager said. Staff estimated portions of the park might reopen to walkers in about a week but warned that fields, courts and some bridges would remain closed until safety and repairs are completed.

The manager outlined the financial-recovery process: the town will first file claims through its insurance and then document storm-related projects with FEMA project worksheets to pursue public-assistance reimbursement. “We will have to pay it out of pocket at first and then request reimbursement,” the manager said, adding that staff is compiling technical floodplain damage assessments with consultant Mill Associates to determine whether specific floodplain-damaged properties meet thresholds that trigger rebuild requirements under the town’s floodplain ordinance.

Town equipment sustained damage: staff reported one mower and an aging chipper were flood-damaged (the chipper likely destroyed) and an older garbage truck was badly flooded and probably out of service. The town also noted one police vehicle had minor damage. Staff said station three of the local fire department had been flooded but firefighters reported they were managing and did not request immediate town assistance.

Volunteers and private contractors have helped. A landscaping contractor, Green Leaf Landscapes of Inman, S.C., arrived with crews and equipment and removed substantial debris from trails, staff said. The town will compile a list of limited volunteer tasks that do not require hazardous-equipment training and urged residents not to perform risky tree-removal work themselves.

Council and staff also discussed potential staff compensation for the response effort, including a possible bonus or an additional paid day off around a future holiday; staff said they would explore options and report back.

Next steps announced at the meeting included start of formal floodplain damage assessments by Mill Associates, further coordination with the county on debris-route timing, engineer inspections of damaged park bridges, and the opening of a county disaster-recovery center to help residents with FEMA individual assistance applications. The town manager urged patience as the multi-step recovery — from immediate aid to insurance and FEMA reimbursement — proceeds.