GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) – As counties in the state’s upstate continue to recover from Helen, they are also making plans for the financial burden the storm left behind.
On Monday, Spartanburg County leaders approved an initial plan to fund recovery efforts at the County Council meeting.
“The amount of wood debris produced by this storm is unprecedented,” said Doug Bryson, Director of Emergency Operations Services.
Recovery mode is expensive. But Spartanburg leaders insist they have the finances to weather the storm.
“We haven’t started counting everything yet. While the fighting is intensifying, there are expenses like food, generators, equipment rentals, so to speak,” Bryson said.
Bryson explained that there will be additional costs for debris removal and contractor services. They currently spend about $100,000 per day on pickups.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if debris removal continues in 2025,” he said.
The plan would create a disaster fund, initially transferring $6.5 million from the county’s insurance fund. Administrators say this will cover expenses for the next 60 days. However, the current restoration cost estimate is $10 million.
“We expect it to be over $10 million when all is said and done,” Bryson said.
They will be reimbursed. FEMA is expected to cover 100% of eligible spending. States also plan to help, but Congress may need to allocate more funds to FEMA. For now, the county will continue collecting pieces.
“They’re going to go through county roads as many times as necessary to clear all of this debris,” Bryson said.
The City Council voted to approve the creation of a disaster fund. Administrators noted that the state’s fiscal stability will not be affected by paying for storm recovery costs, even if reimbursements do not meet expectations.
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