CANTON — Repairs to roads and buildings following the Aug. 9 flood in St. Lawrence County are expected to cost the county millions of dollars, but officials say they are seeking reimbursement through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
During the Finance Committee meeting on August 26, lawmakers passed a resolution appropriating $650,000 for urgent road and building repairs to reopen all affected roads.
Don Chambers, director of the county’s highway department, said repairs to many roads and construction projects such as culvert replacements are still underway. Crews began work just hours after the storm subsided on Aug. 9.
“It will likely cost several million dollars to make the repairs, although some bridges, for example, have already been replaced or extensively repaired,” he said.
Chambers said the $650,000 in spending authorized in the resolution was only for emergency repairs to ensure “the roads remain safe for road users.”
He said some structures, such as culverts, require improvements to a standard set by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) following a post-storm assessment.
Chambers said larger culverts and extensive road repairs are needed throughout the county, but expressed hope that the state and federal governments would help financially.
“We will hopefully get some help from the state government and the federal government to resolve these final issues, but I wanted to make it clear that this is about making the emergency repairs,” he said.
Chambers said the damage in the county and other counties in the region, such as Lewis County, was so extensive that the state had reached the minimum threshold for a request for emergency assistance from FEMA.
Still, Chambers said he was unsure whether FEMA would reimburse the county for all repair costs or just emergency repairs.
He said he has experienced four major storms in his 10 years as superintendent in the southern part of the state, including the Aug. 9 storm, with FEMA providing emergency assistance only in some cases. Chambers said the cost of permanent repairs in those cases was borne by the county and municipalities.
But Legislator Jim Reagan said it would be wise to talk to federal officials to make sure the county’s needs are met.
He said Senator Chuck Schumer, the ranking senator, and Representative Elise Stefanik, the fourth-highest Republican in the House, could play a critical role in securing FEMA funding.
“It’s not that we don’t have someone to take our case to Washington and make it clear that this is a very unusual incident,” he said.
“Their job is to help in the event of a disaster.”
Reagan said he was not speaking ill of FEMA, but simply said it could only be beneficial to keep those responsible for approving funds for federal agencies informed.
“I’m not questioning FEMA or speaking ill of them, but sometimes it’s helpful to make sure that the people who provide the funding for the agency, in this case our federal representatives, know what’s happening and whether they’re following the mandate they’re expected to follow. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable request for them to offer us help during a very unusual event,” he said.
Chambers expressed confidence that Gov. Kathy Hochul would forward the request for aid to the federal government, but suggested that lawmakers should first work with the county’s state officials to get the ball rolling.
“It has to start with the state representatives, that’s where we are right now,” he said.
Chambers also took a moment to thank the county highway department, state Department of Transportation, local municipalities and material suppliers who offered immediate assistance following the storm.
“The staff were basically on duty for hours,” Chambers said.
He noted that the state Department of Transportation and Jefferson County have also offered pipes, materials and equipment to support the effort.
“It was a smooth process with the help of all the municipalities, the Department of Transportation and everyone else,” Chambers said.
Shortly after the floodwaters receded, Chambers said state emergency management officials were on site to assess the damage.
“We went there in person to show them the damaged areas. This is all going to FEMA now,” he said.
Chambers said he doesn’t expect a response from FEMA until October, but noted that at least a virtual meeting will take place at that time.
Despite the urgent need for repairs, all of the department’s planned projects will be completed this year, according to Chambers.
“At the time of the storm, we were four weeks ahead of schedule. Now we are working with the cities to find a solution,” he said.
Chambers said some towns were previously on the list to receive county help with paving, but due to a lack of funds, the communities are now on their own to complete the work.
He also noted that many municipalities are feeling the effects of the crisis and have generally made cuts in road construction, not to mention support from the district.
“Some cities have already withdrawn their requests for assistance. But all projects planned for this year will be completed and we will receive our CHIPS reimbursement. I am confident of that,” Chambers said.
Legislature Chairman David Forsythe thanked Chambers and his staff, saying Legislative Counsel Rick Perkins contacted him and asked how lawmakers could help.
“When all this was happening, I was thinking about how I could help in some way. I thought, ‘Gosh, I can operate a skid steer, I can do something.’ I was thinking about it this weekend and it occurred to me: keep hiring good people as department heads and put them in the right position based on their qualifications. And you’ve proven it time and time again.
“Thank you very much. Again, I couldn’t have done it without the team,” said Chambers.
