FAYETTEVILLE -- Washington County officials must wait to see whether the county will receive federal money to help cover costs to fix washed out roads, bridges and, possibly, homes, said Rick Johnson, county Department of Emergency Management deputy director.
The county is still working to fix damages caused by December flooding, county Road Superintendent Charles Ward said Thursday.
At a glance
The Washington County Quorum Court heard an update on damages to roads and bridges in the wake of December flooding during a special-called Quorum Court meeting Thursday. Damages exceed the amount needed to qualify for federal aid. No action was taken Thursday. In other business, the Quorum Court approved an ordinance appropriating nearly $1.7 million in grants to various budgets.
Source: Staff Report
Web watch
For more information about the Federal Emergency Management Agency programs, visit www.fema.gov/public… and www.fema.gov/recove…
Source: FEMA
Ward and Johnson updated the Quorum Court about the status of federal assistance Thursday.
County Judge Marilyn Edwards declared the county a disaster area. Roads were closed as flood waters washed over them. At least one bridge in Washington County -- Dye Creek Bridge -- remains closed.
Earlier this week, emergency management officials looked at 43 damaged residences and at least seven public sites with damage, Johnson said.
The state declared Benton, Washington and 41 other counties disaster areas as of Jan. 8, according a news release from the Arkansas Governor's Office. Other Northwest Arkansas counties in the declaration included Madison, Franklin and Carroll counties.
The next step to getting aid is a declaration from the president, Johnson said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers assistance to public entities to help cover damages from disasters, including flooding. The federal government's share of eligible costs for emergency measures and permanent repairs is "not less than 75 percent," according to the agency's website.
A state disaster declaration makes the county eligible for another 12.5 percent.
The federal grant program helps pay for costs for debris removal, emergency protective measures and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain private nonprofit organizations, according to the website.
The agency also has a program for homeowner assistance.
The county meets the minimum damage requirement to get federal funding, Johnson said. That minimum is $724,932, based on $3.57 per capita population. In one day, officials assessed damages at more than $843,000, Johnson said.
A final estimate of damages was not available Thursday.
Benton County officials have said they face more than $2 million in repair work on roads and bridges
Work to fix roads in Washington County is already underway, Ward said. Road crews, however, take photos and documents work to prepare for federal aid, he said.
There is no federal threshold for damage amounts for the county to receive individual assistance for homeowners and businesses. The president can decide that, Johnson said.
The decision is likely to come the first part of February, Johnson said. Individual assistance may be decided around March or later, he said.
In the meantime, Washington County homeowners should take photos of the damage and the repairs and document all their work, Johnson said.
NW News on 01/15/2016