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Aberdeen Town officials say FEMA likely to fund flood repairs but amounts remain uncertain
Summary
Town leaders told commissioners they expect FEMA reimbursement for July flood damage to roads, parks and a Lake Park bridge, but said water- and sewer-line replacement cost estimates vary and the exact funding amounts remain undecided.
Town officials told the Aberdeen Town Board on Feb. 23 that they expect federal assistance for storm damage from this past summer but warned the amount FEMA will cover is not yet settled.
“The road, the parking lot and the parks facility by the pavilion washed away…we feel good about that which we are going to get that awarded,” the town manager said, reporting progress on FEMA allocations but adding it remains unclear how much FEMA will cover for larger utility projects. Philip, the staff member who coordinates with FEMA, said the town has submitted banking paperwork and a W-9 after parts of its request were ‘obligated,’ a step that signals movement toward payment but not a finalized award: “I filled out a W9 last week and sent it.”
Officials said the most costly items are water- and sewer-line replacements, where local engineering estimates range well above $1 million and have sometimes approached $1.5 million. The manager said the town and FEMA are negotiating the eligible amounts: engineers’ high-end estimates and FEMA’s lower estimates differ, and the town’s goal is to ensure sufficient funding to cover replacement costs.
The Lake Park bridge — which staff said completes the lake trail and is a high local priority — has moved between optimistic and uncertain assessments during FEMA review. Staff said revised engineer estimates and more recent FEMA reviews have been encouraging but not conclusive, and that FEMA could apply percentage adjustments tied to the structure’s age.
Staff emphasized continued outreach to FEMA and additional engineering validation. Philip said hiring a second engineer helped validate the town’s estimates and the town is continuing to provide detailed documentation to FEMA. The manager said officials are hopeful the agency will approve full funding but cautioned that the final amount and any percentage adjustments remain pending.
Next steps: staff will continue engineering validation and coordination with FEMA and report back as determinations arrive.
