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Yancey County opens public hearing for CDBG-DR, approves CDBG-NR ordinance and Celo Commons wastewater resolution
Summary
The Board voted April 13 to authorize applications and adopt ordinances tied to Hurricane Helene recovery: a public hearing was held on a CDBG-DR application, the Board adopted a revised CDBG-NR capital project ordinance allocating $4 million for neighborhood revitalization, and it approved a resolution authorizing an application to the state Clean Water SRF for the Celo Commons decentralized wastewater project.
Yancey County commissioners on April 13 took several steps toward Helene-related recovery and revitalization funding.
Project Manager Morgan West asked the Board to initiate and hold the public hearing required for a Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) application; the Board opened the hearing, heard three supporters who urged using funds for local businesses and downtown sidewalk connections and closed the hearing. Morgan West said the public hearing was a precondition to submitting an application for CDBG-DR funding.
As part of the consent agenda the Board adopted a revised capital project ordinance for a Community Development Block Grant — Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) project that lists anticipated revenues of $4,000,000 to support rehabilitation or replacement of qualified privately owned dwellings in Yancey County. The capital project ordinance directs staff to proceed within the terms of Chapter 159 of the North Carolina General Statutes and to maintain project accounting records. The ordinance appears in the meeting materials as Appendix C.
Separately, County Manager Lynn Austin asked the Board to approve a Resolution supporting an application to the North Carolina Division of Water Infrastructure (DWI) for Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Helene Decentralized Wastewater Systems funding for the Celo Commons project on the former Celo Inn property in South Toe. The resolution authorizes the county manager to file the application and to furnish required assurances; commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution.
Other action tied to recovery: the Board approved multiple tax refund requests and a late exemption application related to property damage and valuation changes from Helene (and one clerical error). Those refunds, recommended by the assessor under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-381, were included in Appendix I and Appendix E and were approved by unanimous vote.
Commissioners also approved a Fair Housing Month resolution recognizing April 2026 as Fair Housing Month; staff said that resolution is part of requirements for the CDBG-NR grant application. The Board conducted these votes by unanimous consent.
Votes at a glance
- Reappoint Christy Shuford to the High Country Workforce Development Board (mover: Mark Ledford; seconder: Stacey McEntyre Greene) — outcome: approved unanimously (Whitson, Ledford, Greene, Grindstaff, Norton all Yes). - Open public hearing for CDBG-DR (mover: Sandi Norton; seconder: Stacey McEntyre Greene) — outcome: motion carried unanimously. - Adopt revised capital project ordinance — CDBG-NR project (consent agenda item; approved unanimously). - Approve Resolution to apply for CWSRF Helene Decentralized Wastewater Systems funding for Celo Commons (mover: David Grindstaff; seconder: Mark Ledford) — outcome: approved unanimously. - Approve multiple tax refund requests and a late exemption application (mover: Sandi Norton; seconder: David Grindstaff) — outcome: approved unanimously. - Approve Fair Housing Month resolution (mover: Mark Ledford; seconder: Stacey McEntyre Greene) — outcome: approved unanimously.
The Board did not set funding award terms or appropriate funds beyond the capital project ordinance language; staff are to proceed with grant application submission and required reporting if awards are received.
