By Ed DiOrio
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HENDERSON COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — As the timeline for Hurricane Helene relief funding from the state and federal government remains unknown, multiple areas across Western North Carolina continue playing the waiting game.
Detours, limited utilities and downed trees remain in many towns, including Laurel Park in Henderson County.
“The need, as of today, is basically the same as it was in late September,” Town Manager Cara Reeves told News 13. “We’ve got temporary fixtures. We have tarps all over the place.”
Whether it’s on roads, underground or anywhere else in the small town, many projects remain unaddressed.
“Our roads, our public infrastructure, our parks,” Reeves said. “We’re waiting on reimbursements for some of these smaller projects that we deemed as emergency work. We’ve got over 70 culvert damages, failures, displacements, and landslides.”
Laurel Park has a lot to address: The municipality was able to fix some emergency repairs, but with an overall budget of $4.5 million, they are waiting on the state and FEMA.
“We could move a lot quicker if we weren’t seeking reimbursement,” Reeves said. “Our hands are essentially tied. We’ve got to send it up to the flagpole. The state has to approve it. FEMA has to justify it. Contractors charge whatever they want. They know it’s going to be reimbursed by FEMA and the state. So, that’s not helpful either.”
As multiple roads remain closed and many areas aren’t making progress on repairs, the town is ready to change that.
“We have the proper contracts in place to build our team and have a seat at the table when we do sit down with FEMA and the North Carolina Department of Emergency Management,” Reeves said. “All of our minds are working towards it, but there’s so many layers to the onion if we want reimbursement. I try to reiterate patience.”
Like many other mountain towns, it just needs financial backing to reach completion.
“We need help,” Reeves said. “We need financial resources. The state talks a big game. The federal government talks a big game. I just want to see proof.”
According to town officials, the total cost of all the projects in Laurel Park is between $10 and 15 million.
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‘We need help’: Town waits on post-Helene aid as 70+ projects remain unaddressed News Channel 3-12.
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