Bell County Judge Executive Albey Brock took a few minutes to speak about the recent storms and flooding caused by Hurricane Helene during Tuesday’s Fiscal Court meeting and encouraged home owners to make sure they are insured in case a similar storm ever comes here.

“I want to encourage everybody to be more aware of when these things are going on and do self-preparation for these things. I’m not saying go out and spend $1,000 on these prepper kits, I’m not suggesting that or telling people not to do it,” Brock said. “But I think everybody ought to look hard at their insurance. You should call your insurance agent and ask them what if the mountain behind my house washed my house off? Would I be covered? We automatically assume that we are covered for any damage or anything that happens to our home and that’s not always the case.”

Rev. Don Messer, who opens each Fiscal Court meeting with a prayer, said he learned that wasn’t necessarily the case first hand.

“Two years ago I had a roof blow off and turned it in to my insurance. They didn’t cover it anymore and I didn’t know anything about it,” Messer said. “The bottom line is most insurance they said doesn’t cover wind damage from a storm or hail damage or anything like that. I was left without insurance and I didn’t realize it.”

Brock said those coverages were available but they cost more and home owners have to ask for them.

“That’s where the rub is. They don’t tell us,” he said. “I think I’ve got it but I’m going to find out.”

Brock said he had spent a lot of time over the last week watching videos from the devastating flooding in North Carolina and the response from locals and the federal government.

“You know, we just had something similar happen in the last couple of years to the north and east of us where we had neighbors up there basically get bombed,” he said. “That’s becoming more frequent.”

Brock added that emergency management falls under the county government’s flag and he has many years of experience  dealing with flooding in the county.

“We do everything in our power to be as prepared as possible, but when you have events like what took place in and around Asheville and parts of Tennessee close to Asheville, there’s nothing you can do. There’s no amount of preparedness that you can have for something like that,” he said.

He added that the issue has weighed on him after seeing what happened in Asheville and hearing from people that have been affected by the historic flooding.

“I try not to get political in these meetings, but having experienced it somewhat — the federal government, I’m sorry guys — if we have a storm don’t count on the federal government to come in and make your woes go away. It’s just not going to happen. There’s too much out there and you should know that by now,” Brock said. “I guess it’s that political part that frustrates me to no end. The devastation and people that are dislocated, small kids and their entire families that either can’t get in or can’t get out and have nowhere to go to. They’re talking months and even years before some of that devastation is straightened out. We’re housing people in four-star motels in New York City that came here illegally. That’s a hard thing to swallow, but I’m digressing on that part.”

He again encouraged everyone to become more aware and to call their insurance company.

“Have a conversation with your insurance agent about what would happen in this type of event. These things that are happening are freak occurrences, some of those homes had been there 100 years and never experienced anything like this,” Brock said.

He added that the terrain in Bell County is similar to that in the Asheville area.

“We’ve got a bunch of mountains and a bunch of hollers and valleys with creeks in them,” Brock said. “Based on what I’ve seen over there, what are normally dry run-off spots were running 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep. We need to know that if one of those that is close to our home escapes its bank and washes us off that we’re covered. If we’re not, we need to figure out how to find an insurance company that will cover it or, if you can afford it, pay a little more to have that piece of mind.”

He reminded everyone of the 1977 flood that wiped out Pineville and said there have been several times in recent years they were close to closing the gates on the floodwall around the city.

“I’m not going to be shocked if in the next 15 years we have to shut those floodwalls and test whether or not it’s going to hold up,” Brock said. “When you see a hospital, I think it was four or five years old, and all the patients and staff are standing on top of it. They don’t build hospitals without doing some research to think they’re high and dry. They weren’t high and dry, they thought they were but they weren’t. I think a lot of us think we’re high and dry and we may not be.”

He added that he’s been impressed to see the response from surrounding communities, including Bell County, in sending water and other necessities to the flood victims in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.

“If it wasn’t for humans taking care of other humans the devastation would be far, far worse,” he said. “They can’t get those folks out of that area with a big helicopter. The guys that have volunteered their helicopters and small aircraft — it has been pretty impressive and amazing what the American people have done to take care of the American people while the government, I mean they’re faking it, that’s all there is to it.”

In other business, Magistrate Eddie Saylor asked how things were going with Flash Steel and the Boone’s Ridge wildlife center.

“Everything is smooth with Flash. I haven’t heard anything from the Wildlife Center. I’m assuming they’re let and doing their septic and it’s basically where we were when we talked to them last.,” Brock said.

County Attorney Chris Douglas presented the court with drafts of resolutions honoring former Judge Executive Jennifer Jones and former Sheriff Harold Harbin, who both passed away last month. He also presented a draft of a Solar Ordinance as requested by Magistrate John Hammontree.

Brock said the magistrates can look over those drafts and recommend any changes and the court will look to adopt them at either the November or December meeting.

When asked if the courthouse would need to be closed at any time due to the construction around the square, Rob Lincks said it may have to shut down for a short time when the electricity to the light poles around the square is being hooked back up. He said that would hopefully take less than half a day.

County Clerk Debbie Gambrel also reminded everyone that Election Day will take place before the next Fiscal Court meeting.

“I just want to encourage everyone to get out and vote. November 5th is Election Day,” she said. “If you have any questions, call the Clerk’s Office at 337-6143. Get out and vote.”

The court approved:

— payment to Green Construction Co. for the amount of $94,208.53 for Invoice 17, DelMae, LLC for the amount of $37,504.93 for Invoice #11, JMT for the amount of $5,500.00 for Invoice #15, Allen & Hoshall for the total amount of $585.00 for Invoice #318699 and #318574, GEOServices, LLC for the amount of $3,500.00 for Invoice #641622k, Clotfelter-Samokar for the amount of $16,707.00 for Invoice #2105-7, Community Ventures for the amount of $15,955.00 for Invoice #Q3, and Dakotas America for the amount of $45,700.41 for Invoice #10 for work on the Flash Steelworks building to be paid from New Market Tax Credit funds when they are available;

— the appointment of Regina Bailey to the Bell County Public Library District Board of Trustees (new 4-year term);

— hiring Steven Smith as full-time Sheriff’s Deputy at $13.00 per hour effective October 24;

— hiring Stephen Miracle, Deionte Ruffin and Timothy Wright as part-time deputy jailers at $9.00 per hour effective October 10;

— changing Olivia Coe from part-time deputy jailer to full-time deputy jailer effective October 10;

— changing Michael Caldwell from part-time EMT to full-time EMT effective October 10;

— hiring Matthew Pace as full-time general worker at the Bell County Road Department at $13,00 per hour effective October 10;

— accepting checks in the amount of $19,317.84 from Sheriff Mitch Williams and in the amount of $49,233.67 from County Clerk Debbie Gambrel.