ASHEVILLE – Buncombe County Commissioners met the contractor selected to lead disaster recovery efforts and reallocated a total of nearly $3.2 million toward separate household assistance and small business recovery programs as the region continues to reel from the fallout of Tropical Storm Helene.
In total, the county reviewed 20 proposals and interviewed three firms. Out of those finalists, Tetra Tech, a global consulting and engineering firm that specializes in disaster recovery, was chosen, said Jeremiah LeRoy, the county’s deputy disaster recovery lead, during a Nov. 1 commission meeting.
The company’s contract will “potentially include” advisory and outreach services, debris management services, housing support services and staff augmentation services, LeRoy said.
While the county has signed a contract with Tetra Tech, a final contract cost will be determined based off of task orders for the first 90 days, county spokesperson Lillian Govus told the Citizen Times.
Asheville resident Jonathan Burgiel, the president of Tetra Tech’s Disaster Recovery business unit, will be directing the recovery effort. Examples of services the firm provides include helping write grants for new county funding, processing Federal Emergency Management Agency applications and helping residents apply for similar funding opportunities, Burgiel said.
County Commission Chair Brownie Newman asked Burgiel whether debris removal efforts — a subject that has sparked concern from locals — can include a process to aid property owners who have a lot of debris but can’t get it up to public right-of-way, where it is picked up.
While debris removal from public right-of-ways is currently paid for by the Army Corps of Engineers, adjustments to the debris removal process can be requested to include more property types, Burgiel said. In conjunction with county staff, Tetra Tech is currently moving forward “very quickly” to work on a program that would help property owners deal with debris, he said.
Currently, county residents impacted by Helene can apply for assistance from the FEMA until Nov. 27. It’s likely that the county will ask for an extension, LeRoy said.
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Nearly $3.2 toward small business assistance, household assistance
The commission also approved reallocating nearly $3.2 million American Rescue Act Funds to a household assistance program and to begin a county small business grant. The funding had originally been allocated to be a match to complete the Completing Access to Broadband BellSouth Telecommunications project.
For the two funds, the county is working on identifying a nonprofit partner to administer the household assistance program while the small business grants will have to go through a request for proposals process.
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One of the larger tasks facing the county is the rejuvenation to the local economy and continuing to provide aid to those who have most impacted by the storm. Small businesses are expected to feel the greatest economic impact from disasters, where roughly 43% are estimated to close in the first year after a disaster, according to FEMA.
The current timeline for local small businesses to receive funding — which include grants of up to $5,000 — would be by early December. Because the Request for Proposals process will have to include a public hearing and approval from the commission, Newman suggested the commission hold a special meeting earlier than a proposed Nov. 19 date to help appropriate the funds faster.
For the small business grant program, only businesses with fewer than 25 employees will qualify, regardless of industry, according to county presentation slides.
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Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at [email protected]. Consider supporting this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
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