Flood insurance is topic at meeting

The Alleghany County Board of Commissioners learned more about possibly participating in the National Flood Insurance Program Monday when John Gerber, a state environmental engineer, attended its meeting.

No action was taken by the board. Gerber, who works through the N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, talked in detail about the voluntary program, in which Alleghany is considering participating. The program would allow residents of the county to obtain flood insurance.

Earlier, the commissioners asked County Planner Jack Conaway to gather information about the program. Conaway asked Gerber to come to the county to make a presentation. Conaway said the county is also interested in a mitigation plan for homes being build in the flood plains, or for having homes built in flood-prone areas built to higher standards.

"Joining the National Flood Insurance Program will allow people to purchase flood insurance and will help mitigate problems for the future," Conaway said. He also mentioned that the state will not help the county in a flood disaster, as of Aug. 1, if the county does not enroll in the insurance program.

Gerber said that only five counties in the state are not currently enrolled in the program. "Most of the counties have found that it is a good program," Gerber said.

Gerber said that those seeking a mortgage from a federally-affiliated bank would have to get the insurance, if it becomes available. However, it would also be available for other homes in the county as an option, as well as for those who do not have mortgages in flood areas.

The flood insurance requirement states that those homes built in a flood area must be insured for at least the amount of the loan.

Commissioner Patrick Woodie asked Gerber how Federal Emergency Management funds are affected by the county not being enrolled in the program.

Gerber said that a 'back door' option exists, which allows counties not enrolled to enroll within six months after a presidentially-declared disaster and still receive funds.

Gerber said the county can bypass the 'emergency phase' of the program, which has a $30,000 cap on insurance for structures, and enter straight into the regular phase. In the regular phase, homes can be insured for up to $250,000. If the county moves straight into the regular phase, current maps would be used to determine flood areas. Gerber said those maps are not very accurate.

The current map in use is dated July, 1977, Gerber said.

A move by the state to update the inaccurate maps is underway. The mapping began in the eastern part of the state after Hurricane Floyd, but has been delayed by a lack of funding. The original plan called for remapping the entire state within five years.

Woodie pointed out that, through his post as director of New River Community Partners, he has learned that Alleghany is the only county of 23 in the New River Basin that does not offer flood insurance to its residents.

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