Black Mountain council ratifies emergency restoration contracts, outlines FEMA timeline and debris-intake plan

The Black Mountain Town Council on Tuesday ratified emergency restoration work and agreed to steps to document hurricane damage for FEMA reimbursement while staff described widespread facility damage and an intake process for private-property debris removal.

Town Manager (name on file with council) told the council the town had engaged Belfor Property Restoration Group Inc. on a fast-track basis for disaster-related property restoration because a standard competitive procurement would have delayed work and left structures and properties exposed. “We did not have about 60 days required to do that, to leave people on the ground,” the Town Manager said, describing the decision as an emergency step taken early in the response.

The action included authorizing intake services for private-property debris through the county’s contractor, Tetra Tech, and coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractor Ash Grove for large-scale removal. Jessica (planning staff) explained Tetra Tech’s role is limited to intake — documenting debris and obtaining rights-of-entry for parcels that cannot reasonably move debris to a public street — while the Corps’s contractor performs the heavy removal.

Why it matters: staff said properly documenting damage and following the FEMA process will be essential to maximize reimbursement. The Town Manager summarized the town’s understanding of federal rules: “Anything in the first six months is 100% covered if we do it correctly,” and warned the council that large contractor bills that exceed the council authorization will be brought back for additional approvals.

Councilors heard an overview of building- and equipment-level damage: the library, the Center for the Arts, the Montessori School (which required asbestos-specialty remediation), public-works maintenance facilities and the police/public-safety building all suffered water, roof or interior damage. The manager said some buildings had been stripped to studs for flood cuts and that engineers remain in short supply as they are needed across the region.

Staff said the town is assembling documentation for FEMA and aimed to submit damage assessments by a 60-day mark; the manager identified Jan. 17 as the town’s near-term internal deadline to turn in damage documentation to FEMA. The manager said some invoices remain pending and that if cumulative emergency work exceeds the council’s existing spending authorization, staff will return with requests for additional approvals.

Funding and loans: councilors reviewed short-term financing to cover response costs — staff described a $3 million bridge loan tied to water-infrastructure repairs (to be repaid by 2030 or earlier if FEMA funds arrive) and approximately $1.5 million in insurance/recovery funds. Staff cautioned that insurance proceeds and FEMA reimbursements must be tracked carefully to avoid duplication of benefits: “FEMA is not gonna give you money based on what your insurance company gives you,” the Town Manager said.

Debris scale and private-property intake: county briefings supplied by staff indicate more than 10 million cubic yards of debris countywide; the contractor had removed about 408,000 cubic yards as of the last report. The council approved the intake agreement so Tetra Tech can begin private-property right-of-entry intake work; staff emphasized private-property crews will not enter properties without a property owner’s permission.

What’s next: staff said they will return with contractor invoices if work exceeds the council’s authorization, will distribute engineer reports as they arrive, and will bring more detailed cost estimates to the council once damage assessments are complete.

Ending: Councilors thanked staff and first responders for recovery work to date and set a near-term schedule to receive further cost and engineering updates at upcoming meetings.