Maj. Gen. James Hoyer addressed the Joint Committee on Flooding Tuesday to give updates on efforts moving forward. Hoyer said he is moving with deliberate speed to address issues.
Hoyer said there were 1,200 initial applications, 451 cases that met HUD requirements, and as of Tuesday, 350 have been reviewed.
He said 22 structures are on site, some of which families have the keys to and some of them, people are in the process of signing off on finalizing the construction management process.
He said by next week, he hopes to draft a document to purchase for the Slum and Blight Removal Program, which involves demolishing structures either flooded or in a flood affected area.
“We are trying to focus on pushing that quickly,” he said. “If we remove structures, it helps us to bring property values up in the community as well as moving forward. It’s an important aspect of what we’re doing.”
He said currently, there is $2 million from HUD for the bridge program. However, he said the state needs $3.5 million to complete all the bridges in the system.
“Once we get on focus, we can go to HUD to put more money into the bridge program so we can clear out all 133 bridges,” Hoyer said.
Two people from the West Virginia Development Office – Mary Jo Thompson and Russell Tarry – were scheduled to speak to the committee.
However, a representative from the West Virginia Department of Commerce said they had previously resigned, hours after confirming they would attend Tuesday’s meeting to answer questions related to the RISE program.
Adam Fridley, audit manager with the Legislative Auditor’s office, also addressed legislators Tuesday. Fridley presented an audit examining the Rise program. The audit found the state Development Office likely entered into six illegal contracts with Horne LLP, a Mississippi-based accounting and advisory firm, at a cost of about $18 million.
The audit also found the Development Office entered into seven construction contracts, totaling more than $71 million, for home rehabilitation, reconstruction, and replacement services under RISE, which the audit said violated state and federal law.
