Trailers to shelter fire families
Through a coordinated effort assisted by county, state and federal officials, more than two dozen trailers for temporary housing began arriving Wednesday, to help in sheltering the 36 families displaced by the
At a special meeting Monday afternoon, county officials voted unanimously to approve the purchase of 24 surplus mobile homes from the federal
The price tag for the temporary units
The county fronted the money for the trailers, but they won't be owning them long, as they will soon be transferred into the hands of the
The non-profit Capital Area will oversee the units for up to six months, and provide case management to help the displaced families, including 83 children, find permanent housing, said Tim Center, CEO of the
"We're excited that this could be a potential model for other community action programs in the state and country," Center said. "And we're also excited about being able to help the displaced families rebuild after the disaster."
County commissioners sounded a hopeful note at the Monday special meeting, pleased at the comparative swiftness the deal had been completed with the help of both
But they weren't without their anger, led by Commissioner
Commissioner
Chair
"We're never going to make them whole again," said Sanders.
"We got a lawyer," said Lockley. "Let him send them something, and let's we lawyer up. Let them know we ain't playing."
Commissioners stressed that Capital Area would be in charge of determining who would receive the
"They didn't ask for this," he said. "If they were on the books or not, they were there."
Commissioner
Jones, who as a child experienced a devastating fire that burned his family out of their home, served as a quiet, reassuring presence in the days immediately following the fire, even though the affected areas are just outside his district.
He told his colleagues he was grateful to see their unified effort at this stage. "This was no tabletop exercise," he said.
While there was not an extensive discussion about the legal ramifications of the fire, County Attorney
"They (Wildland Services) are not going to voluntarily resolve these lawsuits," said Shuler. He speaks with legal experience in these matters, since his family successfully secured a judgment of more than
Shuler said Capital Area will pay for all title costs associated with the trailer purchase, and he expected that to be completed within the next two to three weeks.
He also noted that the county has the ability to buy other equipment, such as air conditioners, from the GSA at a discount.
Massey noted that an enormous amount of household furnishings, from coffee pots and dishes to mattresses, have been accumulated thanks to the generosity of donors from throughout the region. "We could equip 10 houses," he said.
Four were non-primary residences, she said, with another eight places not destroyed but in need of repair. The remaining damages were of an as-yet undetermined number of sheds, outbuildings, vehicles, boats, tools and other equipment.
Land clearing by crews from four companies --
He said he has three additional fifth-wheel travel trailers that have been donated to his fundraising campaign, and the first of these was given away Tuesday, to a senior woman, recently out of the hospital, who lost everything in the blaze.
Smith said he is in negotiation to buy six permanent mobile homes, all constructed to Zone 3 hurricane standards, out of the more than
He said his office will be determining who receives them based on need, with seniors and families with small children a top priority.
The
As of Monday afternoon, Chief Financial Officer
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