Jason Peters, head of the County Highway Department told the County Commissioners that he was able to meet with FEMA last week and look at the damage to the county’s roads, bridges and culverts. His comment to the commissioners, “It was pretty educational.”
While early on Peters estimated the county’s damage to be in the neighborhood of $4 million, when FEMA looks at the damage they look at the prior condition, the latest projects on the infrastructure and deprecation.
Peters said a few of the roads would qualify for Federal Highway assistance. He said, “What FEMA was looking at was local and minor so any of the major roads we have just go to a different level.” The estimated cost on the roads from the FEMA review was $636,259.21. He clarified by saying, “That doesn’t say they are getting that money to us, that is just based on what their assessments were.” Peters said the county’s threshold of $89,000 was met but it’s still unclear if the state’s threshold will be met. He thought it was $9 million.
Peters said FEMA gave damage estimates of $298,000 for bridges and $56,803.99 for culverts. The total ballpark figure would be $991,063.20.
Commissioner Mike Delp who attended the meeting with FEMA said their estimated about 52 to 53 percent of our estimate. He said, “On the roads they knocked it pretty good. We have $4 million in our estimation and they gave us $636,000. “
Commissioner Kurt Garner said, “So if your numbers hold out, roughly the $4 million in damages, we’re looking at getting about a quarter of that.” We’ve seen it go from 75% down to 50% down now to 25%. I guess that’s the important thing to note.”
