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County approves manager as FEMA mitigation agent; officials report progress on Helen recovery and buyouts
Summary
Commissioners authorized the county manager to sign FEMA hazard‑mitigation documents and received an update: 87 acquisition applications (seeking roughly $33M), 11 elevation applications, and continuing work with NGOs and long‑term recovery groups following Hurricane Helen.
Haywood County commissioners voted April 20 to authorize County Manager Bryant Morehead as the county’s primary agent (and Finance Director Christian Owen as secondary) to execute FEMA hazard‑mitigation documents relating to Hurricane Helen recovery.
Cody Grassy, recovery and resilience officer, provided a detailed status update after the vote: the county had 87 acquisition applications submitted across mitigation rounds that together seek approximately $33 million in FEMA acquisition funds; 11 elevation applications are active; and 29 slope‑stabilization candidates remain under technical review (Grassy noted no county has yet completed technical review and path‑forward approvals for slope stabilization). He said 16 homes were approved in round one and several more were under review; the county is awaiting further FEMA approvals for additional rounds.
Grassy described other recovery activity: seven proposed generators for critical infrastructure, five infrastructure projects, nearly $20 million in recovery grants the county and partners have secured, and more than $33.4 million obligated so far to households via FEMA individual assistance programs. He also outlined the role of the county’s Long‑Term Recovery Group (17 NGOs), RenewNC case work and private road/bridge assessments. Grassy encouraged residents who think they may be eligible for remaining programs to contact county staff for help applying.
The board approved the resolution naming the manager as signatory for mitigation paperwork by voice vote.
Ending: Commissioners praised staff and volunteer organizations for recovery work and approved the manager authorization to streamline FEMA paperwork while continuing to coordinate with FEMA and nonprofit partners.
