MARSHALL – The Madison County commissioners heard updates on 17 projects submitted on behalf of the county to FEMA for reimbursement.
County Manager Rod Honeycutt provided updates to the Madison County Board of Commissioners in its August meeting.
One of the projects, the Hot Springs Library, Honeycutt said he expects to be withdrawn by the county, due to large insurance compensation and fundraising by the Friends of the Hot Springs Library and other local groups.
The Hot Springs Library will be repaired at its original location. According to the county manager, there were three quotes submitted by contractors to perform the repairs, and the county will decide on one this month.
“I know they’re anxious to get back into their usual space down there,” Commissioners Chair Matt Wechtel said.
For the second project, the contents of the Hot Springs Library, the county received $71,000 from FEMA for the contents.
The county also submitted Van Noy Construction’s estimates for the Sprinkle Shelton Building and Madison County Courthouse in downtown Marshall.
“We will have to make a decision on both the Sprinkle Shelton Building and the courthouse relatively soon – whether we divest of it, dispose of it, and how we mitigate with that,” said Honeycutt, adding that the county also withdrew an application for the contents of the Sprinkle Shelton Building, as insurance covered those contents.
The county was also reimbursed for its courthouse contents, totaling $8,500, and insurance paid out an additional $34,000, the county manager said.
At Barnard Park, Every Angle Construction is set to begin work on the site soon, as the construction crew awaits Southern Disaster Recovery to finish its work in the French Broad River near the site.
Barnard Park in Marshall is one of more than 15 projects Madison County government submitted to FEMA for funding. Marshall contractor Every Angle Construction will perform the work at the county-owned park.
Obligated funding
FEMA has obligated more than $639,000 for Duckett Top Tower in Hot Springs, which is used as a cell tower.
According to Honeycutt, while FEMA has approved the funding, the state’s Emergency Management department has yet to disburse the funds.
The county is also due nearly $1.9 million to fund county employees’ overtime pay, equipment and other employee costs.
“We’ve been very deliberate that our operating budget has been separated from our FEMA budget moving forward,” Honeycutt said.
U.S. Cellular cell tower
On Sept. 8, there will be a Marshall Board of Adjustment meeting on a proposed cell tower in Marshall.
Board appointments
The Animal Control Board will need to replace member Pia Cash as a citizen member, and voted to reappoint Allen Raynor as a citizen member. According to Honeycutt, the board has met once in the last 16 months.
The commissioners tabled a vote on appointing a new member to the Board of Health, as physician Rick Young has resigned from the board.
Wechtel said the commissioners needed to “work out some logistics and legalities” after adding five members, including physician Shannon Dowler, to the health board in June.
The board also voted to table appointing a member to the Economic Development Board. Commissioner Michael Garrison, who serves on the board, moved the commissioners table the vote due to the transition of the board, with members resigning.
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Johnny Casey is the Madison County communities reporter for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel. He can be reached at 828-210-6074 or jcasey@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Madison to get FEMA funds for cell tower; another tower project looms