Town Hall 276-646-3232
Hurricane Helene Recovery
What the Town Manager has told Mayor and Town Council about Hurricane Helene recovery, report by report, since October 2024.
24 reports, October 2024 to September 2026
2026
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
As you’re aware, all three aerial wastewater crossings are now back in use and we are moving quickly toward final drawdowns and moving toward project closeout actions. One of the final construction closeout tasks was the rehabilitation of one last manhole near our lowest crossing, which was completed earlier this month.
At this point, I would like to once again thank our engineering consultants at Hurt & Proffitt, our construction contractors with Portland Utilities Construction Company, everyone at FEMA, VDEM, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) who were so helpful throughout our recovery. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to our outstanding elected officials, the town staff, and the volunteers who worked so hard and so well together as we have strived to rebuild our community’s infrastructure!
Finally, I would once again like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for the $2,281,678 grant through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) that has made this project financially feasible for our town! As a reminder, Chilhowie was one of only three localities in the Commonwealth to receive this funding and we are by far the first to near project end.
I will continue to report on this for several more months, but our progress is to a point where most of my reporting to you will be regarding administrative and financial closeout matters instead of the construction updates I’ve provided since October 2024.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
As I reported last month, all three aerial wastewater crossings are now back in use and we are moving quickly toward final drawdowns and moving toward project closeout actions.
At this point, I would like to once again thank our engineering consultants at Hurt & Proffitt, our construction contractors with Portland Utilities Construction Company, everyone at FEMA, VDEM, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) who were so helpful throughout our recovery. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to our outstanding elected officials, the town staff, and the volunteers who worked so hard and so well together as we have strived to rebuild our community’s infrastructure!
Finally, I would once again like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for the $2,281,678 grant through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) that has made this project financially feasible for our town! As a reminder, Chilhowie was one of only three localities in the Commonwealth to receive this funding and we are by far the first to near project end.
I will continue to report on this for several more months, but our progress is to a point where most of my reporting to you will be regarding administrative and financial closeout matters instead of the construction updates I’ve provided since October 2024.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
It is with great pleasure that I let you know that all three of the aerial wastewater system river crossings have now been completed and are back in service! I am sure that each of you remember those first few days after Hurricane Helene when none of us knew how to even begin to proceed toward recovery, so after these long months of rebuilding, it truly feels like a weight being lifted off our community’s shoulders as we finalize these last repairs.
I have submitted the town’s signed Certificate of Substantial Completion and the remaining “clean up” items on the final punch list have now been completed. With the exception of a handful of small items, the construction phase of this project is now complete and your staff is moving as quickly as possible toward finalizing the entire project by wrapping up the administrative files and financial aspects of the project such as our interactions with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) on reimbursement transactions, close outs with DEQ, and working to pay off the town’s Line of Credit that was thankfully extended to us by our community partners with the Bank of Chilhowie in those critical first weeks after Helene. Several of these actions will continue to move along over several months, but we can at last see light at the end of the tunnel.
At this point, I would like to again thank our engineering consultants at Hurt & Proffitt, our construction contractors with Portland Utilities Construction Company, everyone at FEMA, VDEM, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) who were so helpful throughout our recovery. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to our outstanding elected officials, the town staff, and the volunteers who worked so hard and so well together as we have strived to rebuild our community’s infrastructure!
Finally, I would once again like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for the $2,281,678 grant through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) that has made this project financially feasible for our town! As a reminder, Chilhowie was one of only three localities in the Commonwealth to receive this funding and we are by far the first to near project end.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
It is with great pleasure that I let you know that all three of the aerial wastewater system river crossings have now been completed! I am sure that each of you remember those first few days after Hurricane Helene when none of us knew how to even begin to proceed toward recovery, so after these long months of rebuilding, it truly feels like a weight being lifted off our community’s shoulders as we finalize these last repairs.
On June 4th, your town staff conducted a Substantial Completion Inspection with our engineering consultants and project contractors. A few minor items that the contractor needs to address as part of the final “punch list” are now being taken care of and this project is well on its way to construction completion.
Once that’s accomplished, the remaining tasks related to Helene recovery will be from Ms. Eller to coordinate receipt of final payments from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), which as a reminder now holds all Federal funds allocated by FEMA for Chilhowie.
At this point, I would like to again thank our engineering consultants at Hurt & Proffitt, our construction contractors with Portland Utilities Construction Company, everyone at FEMA, VDEM, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) who were so helpful throughout our recovery. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to our outstanding elected officials and town staff who worked so hard and so well together as we have strived to rebuild our community’s infrastructure!
Finally, I would once again like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for the $2,281,678 grant through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) that has made this project financially feasible for our town! As a reminder, Chilhowie was one of only three localities in the Commonwealth to receive this funding and we are by far the first to near project end.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
With the exception of the three aerial river crossings in the town’s wastewater collection system, all major repairs have been completed.
All three of the aerial crossings now have their casings welded together and the pipes inserted inside the casings. The first line (nearest Chilhowie High School) is now in place across the river and connected into the wastewater collection lines. Additionally, the Tattle Branch crossing is now in place and back in service. The welding crew has now moved to the Seven Mile Ford crossing and we anticipate the pipe being laid in place within the next month.
As a reminder, the installation of the first two lines at the school and just below Tattle Branch Road facilitated the removal of the pumps and piping system involved in the temporary bypass system. The pumps are now removed and the temporary piping is undergoing cleaning and disassembly. Once finalized, this step alone will result in savings of almost $20,000 per month.
On February 24th, Ms. Eller and I had the town’s closeout meeting with staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After that meeting, the town’s relationship with FEMA for this disaster is now complete and all Federal funding allocated to reimburse the town is now at the state level at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM).
Finally, I would once again like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for the $2,281,678 grant through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) that has made this project financially feasible for our town!
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
With the exception of the three aerial river crossings in the town’s wastewater collection system, all major repairs have been completed.
All three of the aerial crossings now have their casings welded together and the pipes inserted inside the casings. The first line (nearest Chilhowie High School) is now in place across the river and connected into the wastewater collection lines. The other two lines are projected to be completed within the next month. Our most recent project progress meeting was held on April 2nd, where it was determined that the project is on track for a tentative June 1 completion date.
As a reminder, the installation of the first two lines at the school and just below Tattle Branch Road will facilitate the removal of the pumps and piping system involved in the temporary bypass system. This step alone will result in savings of almost $20,000 per month.
On February 24th, Ms. Eller and I had the town’s closeout meeting with staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After that meeting, the town’s relationship with FEMA for this disaster is now complete and all Federal funding allocated to reimburse the town is now at the state level at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). This is a very positive step and I am breathing a bit easier as we can see light at the end of tunnel on the recovery that was originated in October of 2024.
Finally, I would once again like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for the $2,281,678 grant through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) that has made this project financially feasible for our town!
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
With the exception of the three aerial river crossings in the town’s wastewater collection system, all major repairs have been completed.
All three of the aerial crossings now have their casings welded together and the pipes inserted inside the casings. The lines should be placed across the river and permanently connected to the new piers within the next two weeks. The most recent project progress meeting was held on March 5th, where it was determined that the project is still on track for a tentative May 1 completion date.
As a reminder, the installation of the first line will take place at the lowest crossing near Chilhowie Middle School, followed by the crossing just below the Tattle Branch Road Bridge. Once these are completed, it will facilitate the removal of the pumps and piping system involved in the temporary bypass system. This step alone will result in savings of almost $20,000 per month.
On February 24th, Ms. Eller and I had the town’s closeout meeting with staff from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After that meeting, the town’s relationship with FEMA for this disaster is now complete and all Federal funding allocated to reimburse the town is now at the state level at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). This is a very positive step and I am breathing a bit easier as we can see light at the end of tunnel on the recovery that was originated in October of 2024.
Finally, I would once again like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for the $2,281,678 grant through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) that has made this project financially feasible for our town!
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
With the exception of the three aerial river crossings in the town’s wastewater collection system, all major repairs have been completed.
Regarding the repair of the three aerial sewer crossings, the project is now underway. The piers at each of the crossing sites are completed so the town and its contractor, Portland Utilities Construction Company, completed the required work and all future work can undertaken without accessing the river. This is very good news in that we adhered to the mandate from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to be completely out of the river by February 1st. The work remaining is to hang the new pipe and casing over the river at each crossing and connect them into the new piers. Most of the material needed for this task is now staged, with the exception of the metal casing, which has been delayed by the supplier. Once it arrives, work will resume and the project will hopefully be completed by mid-April.
The installation of the first line will take place at the lowest crossing near Chilhowie Middle School, followed by the crossing just below the Tattle Branch Road Bridge. Once these are completed, it will facilitate the removal of the pumps and piping system involved in the temporary bypass system. This step alone will result in a savings of almost $20,000 per month.
Finally, I would once again like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for the $2,281,678 grant through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) that has made this project financially feasible for our town!
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
With the exception of the three aerial river crossings in the town’s wastewater collection system, all major repairs have been completed.
Regarding the repair of the three aerial sewer crossings, the project is now underway. Temporary access roads have been built, materials have been mobilized, and cleanup of debris is complete. Staff, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), our contractors with Portland Utilities, Hurt & Proffitt, and staff from the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission will hold our fourth progress meeting next week.
The alternative design for the support of the crossings has now been approved by Hurt & Proffit and DEQ. This revised design will eliminate the need for support structures in the waterways, therefore drastically minimizing points where debris can accumulate during high water events. This alternative design has all support structures located on the riverbanks, while also providing more resilient support for the casings over the river, and if the pipes are ever broken again, this design should allow for much quicker and economical repair.
In addition to a small cost savings of approximately $40,000, this revised, more resilient design, will be more likely to be eligible for mitigation reimbursements from FEMA. Ms. Eller has submitted plans for this new design to FEMA, and they are currently under review.
We have initiated work at the crossing behind Chilhowie Middle/High School and then will proceed to the crossing just below the Tattle Branch Bridge. Reconstruction of these two aerials will allow the removal of the temporary wastewater bypass that will result in savings to the town of over $17,000 per month.
I cannot begin to express my gratitude to your staff for helping corral these repairs and itemized expenses over the past year. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to Ms. Eller who has done a top-notch job of keeping me and the other department heads on point with the requirements that FEMA had set forth. Without her dedication, the town would not be receiving reimbursements anywhere near the level that we are.
Finally, the $2,281,678 funding package from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that Chilhowie was approved for is now closed with the Virginia Resources Authority (VRA). I signed the closing documents in early November and the town has begun drawing these funds down. Once again, I would like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for this money through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF)!
2025
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
With the exception of the three aerial river crossings in the town’s wastewater collection system, all major repairs have been completed.
Regarding the repair of the three aerial sewer crossings, the project is now underway. Temporary access roads have been built, materials have been mobilized, and cleanup of debris is complete. Staff, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), our contractors with Portland Utilities, Hurt & Proffitt, and staff from the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission held our third monthly project progress meeting last week on December 4th.
The alternative design for the support of the crossings has now been approved by Hurt & Proffit and DEQ. This revised design will eliminate the need for support structures in the waterways, therefore drastically minimizing points where debris can accumulate during high water events. This alternative design has all support structures located on the riverbanks, while also providing more resilient support for the casings over the river, and if the pipes are ever broken again, this design should allow for much quicker and economical repair.
In addition to a small cost savings of approximately $40,000, this revised, more resilient design, will be more likely to be eligible for mitigation reimbursements from FEMA. Ms. Eller has submitted plans for this new design to FEMA, and they are currently under review.
We have initiated work at the crossing behind Chilhowie Middle/High School and then will proceed to the crossing just below the Tattle Branch Bridge. Reconstruction of these two aerials will allow the removal of the temporary wastewater bypass that will result in savings to the town of over $17,000 per month.
I cannot begin to express my gratitude to your staff for helping corral these repairs and itemized expenses over the past year. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to Ms. Eller who has done a top-notch job of keeping me and the other department heads on point with the requirements that FEMA had set forth. Without her dedication, the town would not be receiving reimbursements anywhere near the level that we are.
Finally, the $2,281,678 funding package from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that Chilhowie was approved for is now closed with the Virginia Resources Authority (VRA). I signed the closing documents in early November and the town has begun drawing these funds down. Once again, I would like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for this money through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF)!
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
With the exception of the three aerial river crossings in the town’s wastewater collection system, all major repairs have been completed.
Regarding the repair of the three aerial sewer crossings, the project is now underway. Temporary access roads have been built, materials have been mobilized, and cleanup of debris is almost complete. Staff, our contractors with Portland Utilities, Hurt & Proffitt, and staff from the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission held our second monthly project progress meeting last week on November 6th. An alternative design for the support of the crossing has been discussed for several months and is now under review for consideration. If deemed appropriate by the town’s engineering consultants, this design will eliminate the need for support structures in the waterways, therefore drastically minimizing points where debris can accumulate during high water events. This alternative design would have all support structures located on the riverbanks, while also providing more resilient support for the casings over the river, and if the pipes are ever broken again, this design should allow for much quicker and economical repair.
We plan to begin work at the crossing behind Chilhowie Middle/High School and then proceed to the crossing just below the Tattle Branch Bridge. Reconstruction of these two aerials will allow the removal of the temporary wastewater bypass that will result in savings to the town of over $17,000 per month.
I cannot begin to express my gratitude to your staff for helping corral these repairs and itemized expenses over the past year. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to Ms. Eller who has done a top-notch job of keeping me and the other department heads on point with the requirements that FEMA had set forth. Without her dedication, the town would not be receiving reimbursements anywhere near the level that we are.
Finally, the $2,281,678 funding package from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that Chilhowie was approved for is in the final phase of closing with the Virginia Resources Authority (VRA) and we expect these forgivable loan proceeds to be available to the town within the next four to six weeks. Once again, I would like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for this money through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF)!
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, wastewater project contractors, and appropriate regulatory agencies to work towards full restoration of infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene last Fall. All repairs are now complete related to the town’s water system. The park benches you were informed of last month were delivered and have been installed by the Buildings and Grounds staff. Additionally, Chief Haynes has received the final components to complete the last repairs at the Fire Training Center.
Regarding the repair of the three aerial sewer crossings, the project is now underway. Temporary access roads have been built, materials have been mobilized, and cleanup of debris is ongoing. Staff, our contractors with Portland Utilities, Hurt & Proffitt, and staff from the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission held our first monthly project progress meeting on October 2nd. At this time, the project is on schedule.
We plan to begin work at the crossing behind Chilhowie Middle/High School and then proceed to the crossing just below the Tattle Branch Bridge. Reconstruction of these two aerials will allow the removal of the temporary wastewater bypass that will result in savings to the town of over $17,000 per month.
I cannot begin to express my gratitude to your staff for helping corral these repairs and itemized expenses over the past year. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to Ms. Eller who has done a top-notch job of keeping me and the other department heads on point with the requirements that FEMA had set forth. Without her dedication, the town would not be receiving reimbursements anywhere near the level that we are.
Finally, the $2,281,678 funding package from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that Chilhowie was approved for is in the final phase of closing with the Virginia Resources Authority (VRA) and we expect these forgivable loan proceeds to be available to the town within the next four to six weeks. Once again, I would like to thank everyone whose efforts contributed in our town’s approval for this money through the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF)!
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, wastewater project contractors, and appropriate regulatory agencies to work towards full restoration of infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene last Fall. All repairs are now complete related to the town’s water system. The park benches you were informed of last month were delivered and have been installed by the Buildings and Grounds staff. Additionally, Chief Haynes is currently working with Ms. Eller to develop a solid plan for the final repairs at the Fire Training Center which will be approved by FEMA.
Regarding the repair of the three aerial sewer crossings, a pre-construction conference was held on August 20th, where town staff, Hurt & Proffitt, Portland Utilities, and representatives from our funding and regulatory agencies met for final planning as the contractor stages for construction initiation as we strive to commence work in September which will allow us to undertake the work located in the river on October 1, which is the date we are approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to access the water while still abiding by endangered species stream restrictions.
We plan to begin work at the crossing behind Chilhowie Middle/High School and then proceed to the crossing just below the Tattle Branch Bridge. Reconstruction of these two aerials will allow the removal of the temporary wastewater bypass that will result in a savings to the town of over $17,000 per month. Temporary access roads have been completed and initial equipment staging is underway. If all goes as planned, substantial completion is slated for 120 days from entry into the water.
I would like to again thank Ms. Diana Thompson from FEMA for her outstanding support since she has taken over at the town’s FEMA representative. Also, I cannot begin to express my gratitude to your staff for helping corral these repairs and itemized expenses over the past eleven months. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to Ms. Eller who has done a top-notch job of keeping me and the other department heads on point with the requirements that FEMA had set forth. Without her dedication, the town would not be receiving reimbursements anywhere near the level that we are.
Additionally, I am very pleased to announce that the town has been awarded a $2,281, 678 forgivable loan from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to assist with reconstruction of the aerials! This money was awarded to only three localities in Virginia and Chilhowie is the first community out of the gate moving forward with this funding! VCWLRF SA-HMW Project #001 is an absolute gamechanger for how our town will finance these repairs and I am grateful beyond measure to everyone who helped make this funding possible.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, wastewater project contractors, and appropriate regulatory agencies to work towards full restoration of infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene last Fall. All repairs are now complete related to the town’s water system. Upon FEMA approval, the final amenities to complete the repairs in the Town Park were ordered. This consists of four park benches and a screen for use at the ball field. Additionally, Chief Haynes is currently working with Ms. Eller to develop a solid plan for the final repairs at the Fire Training Center which will be approved by FEMA.
As you’re aware, the largest component to our town being completely repaired from the storm is the reconstruction of the three aerial sewer crossings. You may remember that after a lengthy review process from state and Federal agencies, the town was able to bid the project with the help of our engineering consultants at Hurt & Proffitt. A pre-bid conference was held on June 26th and bids were due on July 16th. Two bids were received. The winning bidder is Portland Utilities Construction Company, which already has significant knowledge of the town’s wastewater system due to their recent history with the sewer improvement project listed below.
A pre-construction conference is scheduled for August 20th, where town staff, Hurt & Proffitt, Portland Utilities, and representatives from our funding and regulatory agencies will meet for final planning as the contractor stages for construction initiation as we strive to commence work in September which will allow us to undertake the work located in the river on October 1, which is the date we are approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to access the water while still abiding by endangered species stream restrictions.
We plan to begin work at the crossing behind Chilhowie Middle/High School and then proceed to the crossing just below the Tattle Branch Bridge. Reconstruction of these two aerials will allow the removal of the temporary wastewater bypass that will result in a savings to the town of over $17,000 per month. After our pre-construction conference, we should have a reasonably accurate project timeline that I can share with you in next month’s report.
I would like to again thank Ms. Diana Thompson from FEMA for her outstanding support since she has taken over at the town’s FEMA representative. Also, I cannot begin to express my gratitude to your staff for helping corral these repairs and itemized expenses over the past eleven months. Finally, I would like to give a special thank you to Ms. Eller who has done a top-notch job of keeping me and the other department heads on point with the requirements that FEMA had set forth. Without her dedication, the town would not be receiving reimbursements anywhere near the level that we are.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, wastewater project contractors, and appropriate regulatory agencies to work towards full restoration of infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene last Fall. All repairs are now complete related to the town’s water system. There is a door at the Fire Training Center that still needs to be addressed. Chief Haynes is continuing to work with the vendor for the door and related system since it is custom built hardware and can only be repaired by the original manufacturer. The influent pump at the wastewater treatment plant damaged during the storm is now replaced and the wiring issue that I reported to you last month is now repaired.
The permanent completion of the three damaged aerial wastewater system crossings over the river has now been approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The project has been advertised in local media outlets, online through the Town of Chilhowie webpage as well as on the webpage of our engineering consultants at Hurt & Proffitt and has also been posted in project planning sites throughout the region. A pre-bid conference was held at Chilhowie Town Hall on June 26, where two interested firms were in attendance. The next week, another firm contacted me to express their interest in the project. With this level of interest, I am optimistic that the town will receive good bids. Bids are due no later than 2 PM on July 16th, which is next week.
The town’s intention of seeing the destroyed crossings at Chilhowie High/Middle School and just below the Tattle Branch bridge completed first has been conveyed to all interested firms. Ensuring that these two are completed first will facilitate the removal of the temporary wastewater bypass, which will allow the town to eliminate this ongoing risk and reduce the town’s expenditures by over $17,000 per month.
I have been working with a handful of property owners to obtain temporary construction easements to allow access for these rebuilds. To date, of the four property requiring easements, two have been obtained and one is awaiting signature at the Smyth County School Board’s Central Office. I would like to thank Councilman Shannon Donnely for his efforts to help the town obtain one of these easements. His work is greatly appreciated.
The staff continues to work diligently with FEMA to track our reimbursement requests that have already been submitted as well as coordinate with FEMA staff on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis to craft all pending and future reimbursement requests in keen detail and ensuring the town provides all documentation required by FEMA for their process. In fact, just last week, the town staff worked with FEMA and VDEM representatives to officially request an extension for our project which should carry the town through construction completion later this year.
As Ms. Eller reported to you at our continued meeting in June to adopt the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget, the town has received our first reimbursement from FEMA/VDEM. Per your instruction, $100,000 of this reimbursement is now placed in the town’s reserve funds, with the remaining $32,000 being put back in the General Fund.
I would like to again thank Ms. Diana Thompson from FEMA for her outstanding support since she has taken over at the town’s FEMA representative.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, wastewater project contractors, and appropriate regulatory agencies to work towards full restoration of infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene last Fall. All repairs are now complete related to the town’s water system.
The largest remaining repairs to be completed are the reconstruction of the town’s three aerial wastewater crossings. As reported for the past two months, the JPA for the project has been submitted to our Federal and state regulatory agencies for review and approval. The final approval, for USACE (United States Army Corps of Engineers) was received last week. Now that we are in receipt of this, the town’s engineering consultants, Hurt & Proffitt, have scheduled out the timeline for advertisement of the project and construction dates. As of now, we are hopeful that our project schedule will facilitate contractor selection and project mobilization so that construction can begin on the new piers on or about October 1. The first of the rebuilds will be the crossing just behind Chilhowie High School, the second will be the crossing at Tattle Branch, and the third will be the crossing at Seven Mile Ford. This will allow for the removal of the temporary bypass at the earliest possible date, thereby reducing the town’s expenses and minimizing the risk of another leak of wastewater into the river.
Ms. Eller continues to coordinate with FEMA and VDEM (Virginia Department of Emergency Management) to track our outstanding requests for reimbursement. As of now, no reimbursement funds have been received by the town.
I would like to thank Ms. Diana Thompson from FEMA for her outstanding support since she has taken over at the town’s FEMA representative.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, wastewater project contractors, and appropriate regulatory agencies to work towards full restoration of infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene last Fall. All repairs are now complete related to the town’s water system. There is a door at the Fire Training Center that still needs to be addressed. Chief Haynes is continuing to work with the vendor for the door and related system since it is custom built hardware and can only be repaired by the original manufacturer. The influent pump at the wastewater treatment plant damaged during the storm is now replaced, but on installation it was discovered that some of the wiring was also damaged. This issue could not be seen until the pump was out for replacement. Mr. Lowe is working with the installation contractor to also replace this wiring.
The biggest and most extensive repair to the town’s infrastructure is still not complete, but progress continues forward. The design of the replacement crossings for the three aerial river crossings in the wastewater collection system is now complete and has been reviewed by the town staff. The plans have been submitted to FEMA for review and approval and, additionally, the JPA (Joint Permit Application) has been signed by me and submitted by the town’s engineering consultants with Hurt & Proffitt to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other pertinent Federal and state regulatory agencies. Their review process can take between 60-90 days and, assuming they approve the plans as submitted, our reconstruction process can be placed out for bid immediately after their approval.
The staff continues to work diligently with FEMA to track our reimbursement requests that have already been submitted as well as coordinate with FEMA staff on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis to craft all pending and future reimbursement requests in keen detail and ensuring the town provides all documentation required by FEMA for their process. In fact, just last week, the town staff worked with FEMA and VDEM representatives to officially request an extension for our project which should carry the town through construction completion later this year.
I would like to thank Ms. Diana Thompson from FEMA for her outstanding support since she has taken over at the town’s FEMA representative.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, wastewater project contractors, and appropriate regulatory agencies to work towards full restoration of infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene last Fall. All repairs are now complete related to the town’s water system. There is a door at the Fire Training Center that still needs to be addressed. Chief Haynes is continuing to work with the vendor for the door and related system since it is custom built hardware and can only be repaired by the original manufacturer. The influent pump at the wastewater treatment plant damaged during the storm is now replaced, but on installation it was discovered that some of the wiring was also damaged. This issue could not be seen until the pump was out for replacement. Mr. Lowe is working with the installation contractor to also replace this wiring.
The biggest and most extensive repair to the town’s infrastructure is still not complete, but progress continues forward. The design of the replacement crossings for the three aerial river crossings in the wastewater collection system is now complete and has been reviewed by the town staff. The plans have been submitted to FEMA for review and approval and, additionally, the JPA (Joint Permit Application) has been signed by me and submitted by the town’s engineering consultants with Hurt & Proffitt to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other pertinent Federal and state regulatory agencies. Their review process can take between 60-90 days and, assuming they approve the plans as submitted, our reconstruction process can be placed out for bid immediately after their approval.
The staff continues to work diligently with FEMA to track our reimbursement requests that have already been submitted as well as coordinate with FEMA staff on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis to craft all pending and future reimbursement requests in keen detail and ensuring the town provides all documentation required by FEMA for their process. In fact, just last week, the town staff worked with FEMA and VDEM representatives to officially request an extension for our project which should carry the town through construction completion later this year.
I cannot thank Ms. Eller and ALL Department Heads enough for all of their diligence, persistence, patience, and downright hard work as we have coordinated to pull together the laborious volume of information and documentation requested by FEMA.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, wastewater project contractors, and appropriate regulatory agencies to work towards full restoration of infrastructure impacted by Hurricane Helene last Fall. All repairs to the fencing at the town springs and Reid’s Store pump station are complete. The damaged culvert at the Widener Spring is now replaced and full vehicular access to the spring and pump house has been restored. Most damage to our facilities in town has been addressed by either cleaning operations or other restoration/mitigation steps. However, there are still some issues to be addressed to resolve damages at the Fire Training Center, the wastewater treatment plant, Town Hall, the town park, and a few other small items.
The biggest and most extensive repair to the town’s infrastructure is still not complete, but progress continues forward. The design of the replacement crossings for the three aerial river crossings in the wastewater collection system is now complete and has been reviewed by the town staff. The plans have been submitted to FEMA for review and approval and, additionally, the JPA (Joint Permit Application) has been signed by me and submitted by the town’s engineering consultants with Hurt & Proffitt to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other pertinent Federal and state regulatory agencies. Their review process can take between 60-90 days and, assuming they approve the plans as submitted, our reconstruction process can be placed out for bid immediately after their approval.
The staff continues to work diligently with FEMA to track our reimbursement requests that have already been submitted as well as coordinate with FEMA staff on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis to craft all pending and future reimbursement requests in keen detail and ensuring the town provides all documentation required by FEMA for their process.
I cannot thank Ms. Eller and ALL Department Heads enough for all of their diligence, persistence, patience, and downright hard work as we have coordinated to pull together the laborious volume of information and documentation requested by FEMA.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
Our staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, and consultants to address the repairs needed to bring the town to full recovery. Design work continues for the permanent repairs at each of the three aerial sewer crossings that were destroyed during the storm. Final design work is expected to be complete late this month or early March. Mr. Dennis Amos will attend the March Town Council meeting to discuss the design process and provide an update on regulatory approvals.
Ms. Eller, Mr. Fields, Public Works, and I met with FEMA representatives once in late January and then again on February 11th to conduct site visits allowing FEMA to see first-hand and document the damage to our facilities and update them on our recovery progress and plans going forward. Everyone has been very helpful.
The security fencing at Widener Spring and Reid Store Pump Station is approximately two-thirds complete. Damaged fencing has been removed, new poles are set, and the new fence will be installed after this week’s weather event and associated muddy ground. The damaged drain tile at the Widener Spring is in more disrepair due to the high water over the past two weeks. Your staff has completed a list of specifications, known as a “spec sheet”, that has been provided to several qualified local contractors to place bids on replacing the culvert and installing heavier abutments to mitigate future damage from storms or other disasters.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
Our staff continues to work with FEMA, our engineering partners, and consultants to address the repairs needed to bring the town to full recovery. Design work is underway for the permanent repairs at each of the three aerial sewer crossings that were destroyed during the storm. I am hopeful that final design can be completed by the end of February, which will allow the project to then go out to bid for construction.
As we have discussed, FEMA and other reimbursements will be slow to come in so I once again thank you for approving the Line of Credit last month that will allow the town to move forward with repairs in a now timely manner without having to pay out expenses from our General Fund. To this point, we have done so out of necessity, but it has made finances tighter that I am comfortable with, especially given the heavy debt service due this month. The documents from the Bank of Marion have been signed by Mayor Heninger, Ms. Felicia Eller, and myself closing the Line of Credit.
2024
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The staff continues to work toward full recovery from September’s storm damages. The removal of the downed trees at the Widener Spring has been completed. The contractor is scheduled to replace the damaged security at both the Widener Spring and the Reid Store Pump Station before the end of December. Design work is underway for the permanent repairs to our three aerial crossings. I estimate that design work will be completed and ready for review by the appropriate regulatory agencies shortly after the first of the year. The review process can take up to three months to complete, but once we have approval, the town can then go to bid for the construction process.
I appreciate the good teamwork the week before Thanksgiving when the Chilhowie Police Department’s Officer Gage Prater partnered with Mr. Don Cole to utilize the police department’s new drone to survey the damage to the top of the water tank at the Widener Spring. This would have been a very difficult task, but the use of the drone allowed the quick and easy inspection of our tank to confirm that no major damage occurred by the fallen tree.
The temporary wastewater bypass that is in place continues to work effectively, thanks to the diligence of Mr. Lowe and Mr. Treece at the wastewater treatment plant and the members of the town’s Public Works Department. As you know, the temporary bypass is expensive to maintain considering the pump and pipe rentals. It is currently costing the town approximately $17,000 per month. However, initial costs were closing in on $30,000 monthly, so I truly commend the town’s staff for being innovative and persistent on talking through options, which has resulted in these savings.
The Smyth County Disaster Recovery Center closed permanently (the official notice is attached to this report) on Saturday, December 7th, but the FEMA team operating out of Bristol that has been assigned to Chilhowie continues to work closely with the town. Your staff has sent our first expenses related to the initial aftermath of the storm and the construction of the temporary bypass forward for reimbursement. FEMA staff has met in person several times in our town and site survey crews are expected to arrive here within the next two weeks. I genuinely appreciate the efforts FEMA has made to educate the town staff about how the process will work going forward.
-
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The town staff continues to recover from Hurricane Helene. You’re aware of the damages that our facilities and infrastructure suffered. With the help of our engineering consultants and outstanding staff, the town is back to full operations on both water and wastewater. The successful operation of the wastewater collection system was made possible by the temporary bypass system that bypasses our three broken aerial crossings.
Two weeks ago, the claims adjustor from the town’s insurance company, the Virginia Risk Sharing Association, was in town to meet with me and others to inspect our damage and determine what is covered by our insurance and what will not be covered and, therefore, eligible for FEMA reimbursement. It has been determined that all damage occurred within the flood zones and will not be covered by the town’s policy. The one exception to this is the damaged fencing at the Widener Spring. This was deemed to be due to wind damage, not flooding, and will be covered. Quotes for the repair of the fence and removal of downed trees have been obtained and approved by VRSA. The contractors are tentatively scheduled to start work within the next two weeks.
The town staff continues to accurately track all costs associated with the cleanup and repair work. We have met with Dennis Amos, the town’s engineering consultant with Hurt & Proffitt, to begin design work on the permanent repairs to the three aerial crossings. Conversations have also taken place between the town and regulatory agencies to request that these new crossings be considered “maintenance” rather than “new construction” which will speed up the completion timeline considerably. As of now, the agencies seem amenable to our request. With luck, the town may be able to bid the project shortly after the first of the year. Once final design is completed, you will be provided details for your review.
-
Hurricane Helene Response
We as a community have rallied to assist each other as well as offer to help our surrounding communities. The town has suffered unprecedented damage to our wastewater system with the destruction of all three of our aerial stream crossings. We have also suffered the loss of one of our two primary pumps at the influent station of our wastewater treatment plant. Also, we were extremely fortunate that the town water system did not fail. The floodwaters at the Reid Store Pump Station came within six inches of getting into the control electronics, which would have brought our water production capability to a halt. Additionally, power was knocked out for over five days at the town’s two source springs and the water plant. To maintain capacity required a vigilant effort by the Public Works Department to “ride the route” and keep the generators at our facilities fueled, while also navigating the downed trees, high waters, and flood debris littering the roads.
Damage was sustained to our security fencing at the Widener Spring by downed trees and at the Reid Store Pump Station by the floodwater. Minor damage was sustained at the pump station resulting from the inflow of mud into the facility.
Damage to the wastewater system was considerably more extensive, as discussed in the above paragraph. I and other staff members have worked non-stop since Saturday September 28 to ensure that the appropriate regulatory agencies have been notified of our issues with the sewer system and are updated daily on our progress toward a temporary repair so as to stop the flow of raw sewage into the river and back into the town’s wastewater collection system. I have been in regular contact with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (Water Quality Office), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Each agency has been made aware of our efforts toward the temporary repair to our system and given their approval for us to proceed without the normal regulatory processes due to everyone’s shared belief that getting the waste out of the river and back into the treatment system is the absolute overriding goal at this point.
The town coincidentally finds itself in a very good situation due to the fact that Portland Utilities Construction Company was already onsite for the Sewer Improvement Project. As you can imagine, hundreds of surrounding localities are vying to get on the schedule of a limited number of companies that provide this type of work. With PUCC already being staged in town, we were not only first on their list to assist, but the town and our engineering consultants at Hurt & Proffitt have worked with them to come up with a fast-moving temporary repair that I have approved and is now already underway.
I want to extend my thanks to Dr. Carter, Superintendent of Smyth County Schools, and his entire staff for their support and cooperation as we construct this temporary repair line. A small section of the line will be laid across the footbridge leading from Chilhowie High School to the Baseball Field.
On Tuesday, October 1, the Chilhowie hosted several visitors to town wanting to help out or just express their concern and caring for our community. There were over 50 volunteers from Emory & Henry University who helped with cleanup efforts in the Town Park and at First Baptist Church. Also, all through the week, Smyth County Public Schools staff volunteered their time at Chilhowie High School to offer warm meals and a place to rest for our residents in need.
Senator Tim Kaine also visited the town and rode with Mayor Heninger and me to view some of the damage. In addition to the ride to see our plight, Senator Kaine and Mayor Heninger took time to visit with the students from Emory & Henry and then with the Smyth County Schools staff to thank them for their heartfelt efforts to help out.
After much demand was identified, I made the decision to open the Old High School as a collection point for donated items to help those members of our community needing food, cleaning supplies, etc. The demand for this aid has been overwhelming but the community seems to be very grateful for our town’s efforts to be of aid. I personally thank Mr. Stephen Fields who has been supervising the facility and spearheading the donation and distribution efforts. Not only has be been the leading force behind its success, he has also been the backbone of the manual labor required for movement of so many items. I also thank all of the volunteers who have stepped up to help out.
There is more to do and the next several months will bring hurdles as we work to return the town’s facilities and infrastructure back to normal. I will continue to keep you updated and I will continue to be Warrior Proud of our community as we face this together!