NORRISTOWN — More than $1 million was allocated Thursday in contracts related to the ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Ida destruction.
The storm barreled through the area on Sept. 1, and brought with it historic flooding and an EF-2 tornado to parts of Montgomery County.
More than 4,700 Montgomery County residents have applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to Commissioners’ Chairwoman Val Arkoosh.
She added that eligible residents and business owners have until Nov. 9 to apply for assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration and Nov. 10 to apply for FEMA aid.
A FEMA mobile disaster recovery center will be open from noon to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hyatt Place King of Prussia, located at 440 American Ave. in King of Prussia.
Arkoosh stressed the importance of this resource and others that are deployed throughout Montgomery County. It’s there that local residents can get more information about the types of assistance offered, applications and find out where they are in the process, she said.
“These mobile operations are going directly to the communities that have been hit the hardest to reach residents where they are,” Arkoosh said.
Additionally, a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open Monday through Saturday inside the health sciences gym of Montgomery County Community College’s Blue Bell campus, located at 340 Dekalb Pike.
Those seeking assistance can speak to representatives from FEMA and SBA for help with applying for federal assistance and get their questions answered.
Arkoosh noted that Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery counties are slated to receive “public assistance funding” from FEMA following an announcement earlier this month.
“We will be able to use this funding to reimburse our costs related to debris removal, roads and bridges repair and getting our parks and trails back to normal,” she said.
“As of this week, there are 169 households, totaling 392 people staying in 181 hotel rooms that are being paid for by the county while they await further aid,” Arkoosh said, adding that a total of 436 people in 208 households have been provided “with temporary hotel assistance since the start of the disaster.”
She later took a moment to spotlight nonprofit organizations and community members continuing to help people impacted by the storm.
“Our community has really pulled together to help counter this devastating damage and I want to thank everyone who’s been engaged in that effort,” Arkoosh said.
As families across the region continue to pick up the pieces, county response is also ongoing. Commissioners on Thursday unanimously authorized agreements that dealt with several county departments including health and human services and assets and infrastructure.
A previously awarded $1 million contract was reallocated to Metropolitan Food Inc. dba Driscoll Foods, of Wayne, New Jersey. The agreement was initially approved for the Ambler-based Montco Anti-Hunger Network, but Thursday’s “amendment reallocates funds to the vendor providing the food to be delivered directly to the food pantries.” According to the agreement, the contract remains at the $1 million value.
A roughly six-month contract with Public Health Management Corp., of Philadelphia, that’s not set to exceed $193,242 covered the cost of “assistance with grant application, case management program development, housing coordination and language services for Montgomery County residents affected by Hurricane Ida.”
According to the agreement, the Philadelphia-based company “will operate under [the] direction of Health and Human Services staff and with contracted providers.” There is another six-month optional renewal on the contract.
A $144,864 contract with Flyway Excavating Inc., of Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, covered the cost of repairs of the Schuylkill East and Towpath trails damaged in the storm.
An agreement not exceeding $100,000 between the Montgomery County Department of Assets and Infrastructure and Palomino Roofing Company LLC, of Philadelphia, covered the cost to repair the roof of the Willow Grove Annex.
A $29,200 agreement with McLaughlin Spray Foam Insulation Inc., of Chalfont, secured materials to replace insulation inside the Hill Road workshop facility at Green Lane Park.
Several other contracts authorized during Thursday’s meeting were considered rate-specific agreements.
For instance, a number of agreements between the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and area organizations offer assistance.
An agreement with the county health department and Carson Valley Children’s Aid, of Flourtown, ACLAMO, of Norristown, CADCOM, of Norristown, and the Montgomery County OIC, of Norristown states that assistance “provide for case management services as needed for Montgomery County residents affected by Hurricane Ida.”
The contract stipulates that the “annual rate per provider is $150,000,” and “daily rates are $12 per household as per services rendered.”
An agreement between the county’s health department and the YWCA Tri-County Area of Pottstown, along with the SHARE Food Program and Catholic Social Services, both of Norristown, covers the cost of “food services as needed for Montgomery County residents affected by Ida.”
According to the contract, the rates stipulate a cost of $35 per person per day, according to the contract.A six-month contract supplies “consulting services to coordinate HHS disaster response for Montgomery County residents to Hurricane Ida.” The six-month agreement with Nancy Walsh, of tbdNOW, LLC., of Lansdale, is expected to cost $125 per hour. There is another six-month renewal term available.
When asked about the funding associated with these contracts, Deputy Chief Operating Officer Barbara O’Malley clarified that the monies are eligible for reimbursement following the issuance of a federal disaster declaration last month by President Joe Biden.
In other business, members of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners unanimously authorized an extension to a previously established emergency disaster declaration related to Ida.
Commissioners initially authorized the order on Sept. 2, but formalized it during a Sept. 9 meeting. Solicitor Josh Stein said the authorization will allow officials to “continue to deal with the fallout from that storm.”
Arkoosh encouraged those in need to dial “211” and fill out a needs assessment survey online and acknowledged the efforts to assist those who’ve been displaced as a result of the September storm.
For more information and resources, visit montcopa.org/ida.
