Fayette plans meeting to help residents rebuild

July 16--FAYETTEVILLE -- Fayette County Code official Allen Ballard and Nuttall Fire Chief Rick Lewis said volunteers are waiting with materials to help flooded residents rebuild, but they are unsure of what procedures need to be followed in terms of permits and rebuilding within the floodplain.

Ballard and Lewis met with FEMA representatives at a Fayette County Commission meeting Friday to find out how the county can help families in Nallen and Russellville repair or rebuild more than 40 homes, at least 20 of which are uninhabitable.

To assist with the process, the commission voted unanimously to waive all building permit fees for those who are planning to rebuild somewhere in Fayette County.

Ballard said his team will still provide inspections and make sure buildings are up to code.

If residents rebuild on their property, FEMA will pay for flood insurance for three years, explained Ballard. After that, residents will need to carry it themselves. If they don't, they will never again be eligible for federal disaster relief funds in future floods.

Ballard said some families' flood insurance costs them an additional $3,400 or $4,000 a year.

"I think people are going to fix their homes and take that chance that it might flood again because they can't afford insurance," he said.

In addition to max payouts of up to $33,000, FEMA representative Brian Jeremiah said flood victims can take out a line of credit from the agency.

Commission President Matt Wender stressed that many citizens in Fayette County cannot consider taking on another monthly payment, even a FEMA loan with low interest.

Commissioner Denise Scalph noted that many residents are on fixed incomes. "You hear that seniors have to chose between food and prescriptions, and it is very true for many of our residents," she said.

In addition, if homes are more than 50 percent damaged, rebuilds must be elevated above the floodplain.

Ballard asked Jeremiah about hazard mitigation funds.

Jeremiah said those funds are paid directly to the state, and the state decides how to allocate it. In the past, the state has allowed hazard mitigation allocations to be used to elevate homes.

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It is unclear when that money will be allocated, but it could take six months to a year, said Ballard.

Lewis stressed that volunteer groups and home owners need the specifics of how and what they can repair at this point.

"Mission teams are there right now, and they have been for a couple of days. People don't want to do anything wrong, but they are getting letters from FEMA, talking to Allen. They have questions. Some of those homes were built in 1897. Will they have to be repaired up to today's codes?" he asked?

"Imagine you've come into my house and told me I just lost everything," Lewis explained. "I have all these materials and volunteers standing by and you tell me I can't use them," he said. "You don't want to say that down there. We need to get correct information out."

The group plans to hold a meeting so homeowners, FEMA representatives, volunteers and county code enforcement can all get on the same page.

They hope to hold the meeting next week at Midland Trail High School. The day and time has yet to be confirmed.

----The Fayette County Commission is moving forward on repairs to the bridge at the Fayette County Humane Society, which was washed away in the flood.

Contractor Bill Reiley said the bridge replacement will cost about $10,000 and can be constructed on the existing foundation, which survived the flood.

His crew will begin work Tuesday and expects to have the decking on the bridge complete in three days.

A temporary bridge was put in place to allow employees to retrieve vehicles they abandoned when the creek flooded.

-- Email: [email protected]; follow on Twitter @Sarah_E_Plummer

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