FEMA Funds Headed to Watauga County Schools

Earlier this week, FEMA announced its allocation of $103 million in Hurricane Helene related Public Assistance funding across 50 projects throughout Western North Carolina. Watauga County schools is set to receive over $28 million for the repair and repurposing of the old Valle Crucis School site.

On this week's Mind Your Business, we'll talk to Dr. Leslie Alexander, Superintendent of Watauga County Schools, about how this process took place, and what could become of the site once repairs and other work is completed.

Consistent advocacy is how projects like this occur, and finding alignment on relevant priorities is an essential step in magnifying a community's collective voice. The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce has recently released its 2026 Legislative Priorities, which ground our work across many areas of community need. We'll outline these priorities and offer more details on our upcoming Vision Northwest North Carolina Summit.

Last week Governor Josh Stein announced the framework for his third Hurricane Helene relief bill. We'll breakdown some of the key highlights of his spending plan as it makes its way toward the NC General Assembly for discussion later this month.

Mind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.

Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:03

More money for Helene recovery is making its way to the high country, and legislative efforts to send more assistance are underway. From the Moon Area Chamber of Commerce, this is Mind Your Business.

SPEAKER_02 0:19

Mind Your Business. Brought to you by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate, providing professional commercial real estate services. Visit Appalachian CRE.com.

SPEAKER_03 0:30

Hello and welcome into Mind Your Business. I'm David Jackson, President and CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Thanks for joining us once again this week, whether through the airwaves of WATA here in Boone or as a subscriber of the podcast version of this program, which is made possible each week by our good friends at Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. Not a subscriber to the show, not a problem. Just search for Mind Your Business wherever you get your podcast. You can gain full access to archives, occasional bonus content, extended episodes, and plenty more. As we connect you with the business news that you can use from right here in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Happy springtime to everyone out there. Easter weekend is on the horizon. The weather is warming up. More of the permanent fixes are in process around the area. As we know it takes a while for money to move, whether that's insurance, FEMA, or SBA assistance, even philanthropic agencies with grant-style programs. They take some time to get all of the needed information in to turn a project into reality. Over the last few weeks, some larger chunks of money allocated to North Carolina through FEMA have started showing up in the high country. Back in early March, Avery County received over$40 million in FEMA public assistance for debris removal, part of a$70 million allocation that was dispersed throughout Western North Carolina. This week, an additional$103 million was allocated to our area. That included another$6.2 million for Avery County's additional debris removal needs. There was also a$26 million allocation to Wataga County Schools for the old Valley Cruisa School Building, which was severely damaged by Helene and has since given way to a new, already planned facility. This activity might be the best example yet of how allocation of storm-related funds can help leave the area better off than it was in the first place. And we'll hear more directly about this project from Dr. Leslie Alexander, superintendent of Watauga County Schools, here in just a few minutes. No matter what, Wataga County Schools and the county itself were going to have to contend with the demolition of some, if not all, of the old school building. And there is a cost to that. There was also a great deal of pre-storm conversation about what the old Valley Cruises School site could mean for the broader community. And for a bit at least, those dreams were washed away. Now, a new lease on life for the most historic part of that structure could help a variety of school system needs, serve a greater community purpose for folks in the valley, and also ensure that work can be done so the area is not so flood-prone moving forward. Being wise with how we plan for and invest some of these large reimbursements that are coming to our area, that's how we set our community up to weather the next storm in much better shape. Again, Dr. Leslie Alexander will have more on that story in just a few minutes. Back to advocacy for a moment. North Carolina's congressional delegation continues to work alongside Governor Josh Stein's office and the team at Grow NC, along with the North Carolina General Assembly and other partners to fight for the dollars that can help our state continue to recover. It's not just to lean money either. Remember, since that storm hit, the Piedmont area of our state, places like Chapel Hill and Pinehurst, they have also experienced significant damage from flooding back during the summer. And the eastern side of the state is still going through the recovery process from storms years ago. All of these parties continue to work in a bipartisan way to solve as many of these challenges as possible, fighting for quicker disbursement of monies that have already been allocated by Congress, all with the goal of getting North Carolinians back on their feet as quickly as they possibly can. We know this work is not easy, and it's also not close to over. And it will take continued cooperation at the state and federal levels to continue discussions on the next allocation of funds to come to our area. In just a bit, we'll detail Governor Stein's next plan for a third Helene recovery bill, which has recently been released, and we'll give some realistic context about what that may mean for our area. Advocacy matters, folks. Our local officials are bringing these issues to state reps who have been burning the trail back and forth to Washington, D.C. to make our case at the top of the chain. We at the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce remain committed to lending our voice and assistance to that chain of communication while we also work toward other legislative goals that can benefit our region, not related to Helene. This week, our board of directors adopted our legislative priorities for 2026, and we'll share those with you in a few moments as well, perhaps sparking a way for you to get engaged in some community shaping conversations that will be had in the months and years ahead. We'll take a quick break and get these conversations started when we come back. You are listening to mind your business.

SPEAKER_02 5:44

Appalachian Commercial Real Estate provides professional commercial real estate services in the Boone area. They provide sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services to owners and users of commercial real estate. For more information, go to their website at Appalachian CRE.com.

SPEAKER_03 6:04

Welcome back to Mind Your Business. I'm David Jackson. Before we talk property redevelopment, let us shout out a local real estate professional who is always on the lookout for the next great space for you and your business. That's James Milner, an Appalachian Commercial Real Estate. They solve simple and complex commercial real estate problems in and around the Boone area and beyond. Whether you own or lease commercial real estate, regardless of the property type, have an advocate on your side, along with expertise and experience to assist you and your business. For more information, check them out on the web, Appalachian CRE.com. Valley Cruis, it's one of the most truly unique and magical areas of our community. We flock to the Valley on Friday nights for music and community. The historic significance of this part of Wataga County has been protected, including the iconic Mast General store that serves as a magnet for traffic to this area. Valley Cruces offers great recreational access to the Watauga River among its many features. It's where the locals go to unwind from the hustle and bustle of Boone and Blowing Rock, as strange as that may be to say. It's for this reason that many of our hearts ached a bit deeper when Helene stormwaters ravaged this area, in particular the historic Valley Cruces School site, which was set to be replaced by a newer, more modern facility and was in the midst of a bit of an identity reclamation of its own. You've heard this phrase often. What could the good part of the school be used for? Good, of course, meaning less flood prone. That was a topic of such speculation and community planning as Helene's waters came rushing in. Dr. Leslie Alexander and her team have been working since the storm to get a proper assessment of the value of the school, the land, and the understanding of pressing needs and how all these things could come together as they interfaced with FEMA. She had firsthand experience of what she was trying to communicate because she was there the night this property changed for good.

SPEAKER_00 8:03

It was completely devastating to change in 24 hours. You probably know that we were at the school the night before the hurricane hit, because it was not uncommon to be at Valley Cruises pumping out water in the short time that I had been superintendent at that point, 18 months ago. I mean, probably three different times that we'd gone out to deal with flooding in that school. So they were they were used to that. The staff, Dr. Smith, her husband, myself, uh Dr. Blanton, our assistant superintendent, and four maintenance workers were out there until about 2.30 in the morning the night before with five kibac systems. And those are what we use to pump water, you know, out of buildings. Um and I um told them all to go home about 2.30 in the morning, and they did not. I did because I thought they were going home, but then Dr. Smith and her husband and those maintenance workers actually stayed all night pumping water out. Um, but then the power went out, and so when the power went out, the kibaks went out. And so um where I had been standing just hours before the it got to be four feet of water. So you can imagine um what those spaces looked like um 24 hours later. So, you know, just walking around, seeing, I mean, things that water had floated, picked things up and moved it. Um, there was dirt and mud, you know, in a large part of the school. So there was about 49,000 square feet of that school that were that was completely flooded. And so, you know, obviously at that point, our priority was making sure that we located all of our staff and our students. And so you were kind of multitasking, trying to that being the priority, but also figuring out what are we going to do with this space? Where are we gonna put these teachers and students? So, second to um staff and student safety was figuring out the relocation plans for those kiddos. Um, because the new school obviously was not near completion. And so at the same time of doing that, you you know, you have the thought, what are we going to do with this building? Because it's obvious that we're not gonna be able to utilize it. And so um, you know, making sure that it was sealed off, that people couldn't get in, um, that we were making because you know, people left the the day before thinking they were gonna come back and they didn't take anything. And so, and you know, that people have personal items, whether it's a diploma or you know, pictures of your kids. And so we needed to organize how they were going to get the um those personal items. And so that was that was also a priority. Um, but in the in thinking about the building, um, you know, it's we didn't know really initially what to do with the building. And so we we reached out to our insurance group and initially they said they would give us um$500,000 to just demolish the building. Um, our first reaction to that was, oh, thank goodness, because we don't have any money to do anything with this. Um, so the initial reaction was one of relief that there would be some financial assistance to help us move forward with doing something that would make that space safe. Um, but then the more that my team and I talked about it, you know, we started thinking, you know, this building was built in the 1930s and we've been paying insurance on it ever since. Seems like it ought to be worth something. Um and so then we started working with our insurance, talking about the value of the building itself, um, what actual cash value we would get if we didn't rebuild on the property. Um, so that$500,000 we quickly realized um could be$8.9 million to$13.6 million. And so at that point, we really wanted to just slow our pace down and think what are the needs, the continuing needs of our district that we have not considered this as an option. Um, because obviously nobody planned for a hurricane. And so um, in so doing, we just realized that we do have some programmatic needs in our district that if we could um secure funding, this would be a way that we could save the Valley Cruises historic rock building, which is important to that community, and also have it be a win-win for meeting some of the needs that our district continues to have.

SPEAKER_03 12:23

You know, I want to go back for a second to those initial days afterward, you know, and you mentioned this well, so much attention was rightfully paid to the relocation of the school itself and the students and the staff and making sure that they had a home for the rest of that year and a little bit of the following year until the new school has opened. But for for you and your staff to get into that building the days after and begin making that assessment, some are familiar with how Valley Cruises School has flooded in the past, but the the level of damage, what what types of things made the other part of the building, uh not the rock part, but the but the newer part, what made that uh such a catastrophic loss?

SPEAKER_00 13:05

It was it was walk, it was like walking through layers of mud in rooms that previously were had carpets. You know, you had school, you had desks picked up and moved, turned over. Um, you had bookcases where books were had been floating in water and now were lying haphazardly, um, you know, water soaked on the mud of the floor. Um, you had this, the gym, which in the days when the water started receding, uh, really resembled a skate park. If you've ever been to a skate park where you use the hills to get your skateboard, you know, to get the lift off your skateboard, um, the floor of the gym bowed up to where parts of it were as high as my hip. Um, so if you can just imagine what that looked like for that floor, because come to find out, that gym floor had been built below the flood level. And so, you know, the w there was just absolutely no way um that you were using that space again. Um so it it it was, it was like, it was like why it was like war-torn. I mean, it just felt like nothing that looked the same had any resemblance to what you'd seen before.

SPEAKER_03 14:15

So you talked about slowing down the process and and again, great vision by by you and your team to to recognize that if you took some time, there may be something greater than just that initial$500,000 there. Uh, this was a FEMA process. Uh, can you walk through what that engagement was like and and how you worked with federal partners and your insurance? I know a lot of people have done this, so yeah, you know, the prospect of hearing a feel-good story on this might might resonate with some folks.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

Yeah, so initially it was insurance because we knew we had that. And so then as we were learning the FEMA protocol, we were assigned a FEMA team. Um, and and the the Valley Cruises School was our biggest project. It was in no way our only project. So, you know, we had to work with debris removal. You know, we had some campuses where trees were down, playgrounds were damaged. Uh, we had a slope failure behind our transportation garage where a side of the mountain just sort of fell off, taking the parking lot with it. So, you know, we had other smaller projects that we were working on with FEMA. It's a very complicated process. You have to, uh, and this would be my word of advice for anybody that ever goes through a disaster, take pictures of everything you do. Um, because if you're saying you moved this debris, you need to show how much it was and the GPS of where you moved it to. Um, so there's a lot of detail and record keeping that went along with ensuring that we were able to be reimbursed. So we were working with multiple projects at the same time. We knew all along that the Valley Cruises School was going to be our biggest project. So once we were assigned that FEMA team, I mean, we met with them religiously and gathered documentation. And I'll be honest, a lot of their advice sort of changed over the process. Initially, we thought this was going to be a certain type of project, a 428, and then it was an alternate project. They were trying to figure out what would give us the most flexibility for use of funds because you have to come up with a scope of work of what you will do with your funding. And the way they determine the funding is you take the 69,000 square feet that was the old Valley Cruces School, and you work with an architect to determine whether it's going to be more cost effective to uh repair it or replace it. Um, this is a lot of work for our architect back and forth because, in essence, if we were going to repair the school or replace it, the 49,000 square feet that were flooded had to be elevated four feet off the ground. And so you're talking some serious construction cost when you're looking at that. Um, but that is the number that they will use to determine how much funding um you will be allowed to receive for whatever project is approved. Um, and initially, really early on, um, you know, I'm not I'm not one that really likes to ask people for money or fundraise. That's not who I am. Um, but in this situation, I mean, we were all about contacting anybody that we could at higher levels to get some assistance. And so we reached out to the governor's office, we reached out to Virginia Fox, um Ted Budd. I mean, we just reached out to whomever and kind of came up with a narrative and told our story about Valley Cruces and what we hope to be able to do in that community um post-halene. And and they were very helpful. I'm sure I know they were, because our FEMA team would say, yeah, this this project's getting a lot of attention at the state and federal level. You know, people are they know about this project and we're hearing about the need to stay on top of it. So I'm really grateful.

SPEAKER_03 17:55

Yeah, and certainly Valley Cruces was one of the more devastated areas in Watauga County, period. Not just the school, but uh areas on either side of it too. So uh this this was right in the midst of of one of the areas that was being talked about as much as anywhere. Uh, if if you can, you know, if we go back to just before the flood, you know, you're you're in the process of building a new school. There was a lot of community discussion about the use of the old school at that point in time. How much of that now is back on the table again because of being able to go through this process and and make sure, as you mentioned, that that the WPA site to that that has such historical significance does seem to have a future now.

SPEAKER_00 18:35

Right. Um, so it is, but it's it's a different conversation now. The conversation before was going to be once the school system is done using that facility, then do we turn it back to the county commissioners? Is there a group that's gonna you know try to purchase it? But that conversation was going to be Watauga County Schools was no longer using that site. Um, and so those discussions were a little bit different. And so going through those discussions, though, I think we we learned how much that community values, you know, that historic building and what it means for that community. And that definitely played into, you know, our decisions of if we can do something and this be a win-win, you know, for everyone involved, then that's gonna be our goal. The cut the discussions are different at this point because it would continue to be a Watauga County School's property and it would be used programmatically to benefit the needs of the school system.

SPEAKER_03 19:36

We're with Dr. Leslie Alexander after this quick break. You are listening to MindYour Business.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

Appalachian Commercial Real Estate provides professional commercial real estate services in the Boone area. They provide sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services to owners and users of commercial real estate. For more information, go to their website at Appalachian CRE.com.

SPEAKER_03 19:58

Welcome back to Mind Your Business. I'm David Jackson. We continue our conversation with Dr. Leslie Alexander, superintendent of Wataga County Schools, as we discuss what comes next for the old Valley Cruces School site. So let's talk a little bit about the hopes and dreams here. Um, you know, you you recently uh the the reason that we're talking about this is the the news is out there now that FEMA has come through with not only this reimbursement, but for uh another sizable reimbursement for the county in terms of debris removal. So over$30 million coming into Wataga County in terms of this FEMA funding. And these funds have been slow to get delivered into some areas. So now that you understand what the value is, what do you feel like you are able to do both currently at that site, but how does it set up future capital needs for the school system itself?

SPEAKER_00 20:47

Right. And so we do, you know, we have a 10-year capital plan for our district. Um, and you know, those funds, sometimes those are smaller projects, sometimes they're larger ones. Uh, with that starting with that site, the first thing that we will need to do is strategically demolish the flooded part again at the 49,000 square feet that were flooded. And then we want to renovate the exist the what's left there to ensure that you know there's no mold. It's basically going to be a brand new building, except the rock structure will be retained. Um so it'll have air, new roof, complete new renovation, everything underground treated. Um, and then another goal would be that we could mitigate future flooding to that site and look for ways to um potentially benefit like Valley Cruces Park, which is right next door. Um, so that's something where we could put some programmatic, a building where we could put some programmatic needs the school system has. Um, for example, we need updated training space. We're required legally to have an ALP, an alternative learning program. Right now we have no location for that. Um, we would love to get our training for our teachers when. We have large trainings, we either need to go to Brimco or you know some other place. If we could have a state-of-the-art training facility for our teachers, that would be helpful. We would also love to get some early child care spots out of that building. Um, you know, we know we're a child care care desert. Um, we would love to partner, and we've been in some conversation with folks anticipating this potential project. Um, how could we bring, you know, potentially 50 zero to three child care spots to that part of our county? Um, that would be a win-win for our for our community as well. And then beyond the cost of those um those programs, we have air conditioning needs in in schools across our county. Um, so then we would just look at what we outlined in our scope of work um to use additional funds to meet the needs of schools throughout our county.

SPEAKER_03 22:50

You know, you've talked at length before, and I know this has been an ongoing process uh when assessing capital needs and and your capital needs, as you mentioned, go from replacing HVAC systems to replacing schools. Uh you've gone through this Valley Cruces process, and I know Harden Park is is probably up next on the list. How do how do getting through projects like this and making sure that, like you mentioned, that initial$500,000 offer at least ensure that you weren't dipping into reserves that were earmarked for something else to get rid of a building? I mean, you you it does cost money to tear things down. So so how does getting through this project help set up the other needs that the school system has down the road?

SPEAKER_00 23:34

Well, I think you know, anything that any any capital project that we're able to utilize this money for and not have to use our capital funds that are allocated to us through our county commissioners or lottery funds is just money that we can put towards other things. Now, originally when we when this the flood happened and we knew we would get some funding because the building was insured, you know, we talked, is this something that could jumpstart a Harden Park? Or, you know, could this money be used for a much larger project? Um, these funds are not suitable for that because there is a time limit for when you have to complete the construction with these funds. Um, and there are extensions you can apply for, but they're not unlimited. And so when you're looking at at building a school like Harden Park, I mean, we've got there's a lot of steps we've got to go through there to determine if the if the current site is usable. Um, we've got to do surveys, that type of thing. Um the programmatic phase of the design for a school like Harden Park is very lengthy. And so, you know, we're we're years out of you know, completion of that type of project. But we need to get started in order for those years to end quicker, right? Um a project like this one, although it will take some time, is is much less complicated because the number of bodies in the building and the programs that you're trying to place there are just there's not as many. And so I think those types of things come into account. Plus, that our architect has done so much work with that building, having to come up with these numbers for FEMA, we have a pretty good idea of really what we're talking about for that site. But you know, if we're able to take whatever millions of dollars left and begin to address air conditioning needs that we've clearly outlined for our schools across across our district, then that's gonna save capital funds that can be used elsewhere.

SPEAKER_03 25:37

Last question for you, Dr. Alexander, and I really appreciate your time with all of this and insight. Um, you know, in in some cases, I feel like you're probably ending part of this process, but in many cases, you're just beginning part of this process. What have you and your staff learned? What are the lessons that come from this about the way that you maintain the infrastructure of the school system moving forward and and how you document things, all of the little tidbits that might be useful for people that have large capital investments that need to think about how they're they're caring for those things in the in the wake of disasters like this and and what may be to come down the road.

SPEAKER_00 26:15

That's a great question because when we were when we were working with our insurance company, you know, the fact that we had records, maintenance records of that school and the state that it was in pre-Halene, uh showed that that the damage was not due to our neglect. And so you almost have to prove that you've been taking care of the facility and maintaining it appropriately. And so documentation of that type is really important because you don't know when you're gonna have something like a Hallene happen. Um, so I would say that's that's definitely a takeaway. Um, second takeaway is know your insurance policy, know what your property is worth. Um, and then I would say, you know, words of wisdom are just, you know, don't settle for quick fixes and don't have tunnel vision. Just put a pause and think about how whatever challenge you've just gone through that you wish you hadn't, um, how could that potentially benefit uh the group that you're working with in ways that you hadn't anticipated?

SPEAKER_03 27:14

I think that's very wise and a great way to finish this conversation and thinking back to the time and the emotions of that time. So many people were thinking the first answer is the only answer. And and it proved to be, as we learned, that that first answer oftentimes was the start of a negotiation, essentially. And and that the the more time that you put into these things, the better off it it ended up being. So uh certainly appreciate your vision and leadership and the work of your team for seeing that for this community investment to be realized to its fullest potential. Uh that that meant some some uh quick decision making and and the right decisions being made. So so thank you for that. Thank you for the insight, and we look forward to keeping up to date with what comes next for this project. I know it'll be talked about for a while, and we appreciate the opportunity to see inside the beginning of it. Thank you, David. Good to talk with you. We'll stay in touch with Dr. Alexander as plans for this facility begin to take shape. When it comes to childcare needs, there are less options available on the western side of the county, despite a population that has grown quite a bit over the years. So, this potential solution could add new slots in a place that could truly benefit. And this is also another example of how listening to community needs and matching that up with timely resources that could see one problem get a shot in the arm thanks to the circumstances caused by another. Advocacy matters. We'll talk more specifically about that next. You are listening to mind your business.

SPEAKER_01 28:44

Are you a young professional looking to expand your network? The High Country Young Professionals, affectionately dubbed the High Country YoPros, is a dedicated group of 200 plus professional young adults under the age of 40, serving in various industries across the high country. Join us for a casual networking event on the first Tuesday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m. As we visit locations across the high country. Events are free of charge. However, donations are appreciated. Not a chamber member? That's okay. No membership needed to join us. You just have to be under 40. Learn more about High Country GoPros at Boonchamber.com slash HCYP.

SPEAKER_02 29:27

Mind your business. Brought to you by Appalachian Commercial Real Estate, offering sales, leasing, consulting, and appraisal services. Visit Appalachian CRE.com.

SPEAKER_03 29:39

Busy week here in Chamberland. We had our very first Policy in Pints event at the Cardinal on Monday night, thanks to those who came out to talk about some of the most important topics surrounding our community. Policy in Pints is an outreach event hosted by the Chamber's Advocacy Task Force, which is a group of members who keeps their ears to the ground on various policies and projects and helps the Chamber form our advocacy strategy. The group has been hard at work in crafting the Chamber's legislative priorities for 2026, which we have recently posted on our website, Boonchamber.com, and shared in this week's Chamber Report email to members as well. So what are the topics that we are concentrating on most? Well, as you can imagine, continued Hurricane Halene recovery efforts, including investments in critical infrastructure and economic recovery, are right at the top of the list. As we move away from Helene-specific work and move toward things you've heard us mention before, funding for efforts related to childhood development, which includes a statewide floor for early child care subsidies, increased public school teacher pay and investment, and enhanced opportunities for after-school care, right up there toward the top of that list of priorities. We also will advocate for policies that expand access to attainable workforce-appropriate housing, including effective state and federal financing tools, efficient regulatory processes, and public-private collaboration while maintaining local flexibility. We advocate for additional revenue for road construction to address the declining motor fuel tax in order to fulfill the delivery of projects in the state transportation improvement plan. We'll talk more about that as it relates to Vision Northwest North Carolina in just a moment. We are advocating for a community college system focused on providing instruction in high demand fields by beginning the implementation of the Propel NC program. We've talked with Dr. Mark Porch of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute about that initiative on this program before. And you'll hear more about that as the short session of the General Assembly begins later this month. We advocate for environmental resiliency, including investments in streambank restoration. That ties back to some of that Hurricane Helene work. And then finally, continued restoration and long-term investment in the Blue Ridge Parkway, which includes coordinated support for flood recovery efforts and ongoing Great American Outdoors Act repairs. We have worn this topic out over the last few weeks. And we will continue to update you on Blue Ridge Parkway construction, especially as it relates to the Great American Outdoors Act work that is going on in our community as we speak. These points will be discussed with elected officials and policy influencers at the local, state, and national level throughout the rest of this year. This agenda reflects the priorities of our business community and outlines the policies needed to support a strong economy, resilient infrastructure, and high quality of life here in the high country. You may remember we authored a survey earlier this year that asked you what some of your top policy concerns were, and those answers helped guide the creation of this legislative agenda. Again, you can view this document along with our guiding principles of the Advocacy Task Force by visiting Boonechamber.com. Back to transportation again for just a moment. Another reminder get your tickets now for Vision Northwest North Carolina, which will be held May 21st on the Watauga campus of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. We'll be talking about transportation impacts across the entire Northwest region, including the future of the gas tax, which is the largest driver of funding for North Carolina's Department of Transportation, no pun intended. You can learn more about the event and register for Vision Northwest North Carolina at boonchamber.com. We're back to wrap up this episode right after this. You are listening to Mind Your Business. Back to close out another episode of Mind Your Business. Last week, Governor Stein released his plans for a third round of Helene recovery funding, totaling just under$800 million. Here are a few of the highlights of that plan.$82 million in strong economy recommendations that include another$50 million to support local governments being made whole from their expenses and disbursements post-storm. There was$20 million for a small business forgivable loan program,$10 million for tourism promotion in the Helene impacted areas,$1.5 million in Blue Ridge Parkway matching project funds, and$600,000 to fund a Good Jobs North Carolina pilot program. There is$10 million for rental and utility assistance in this bill, a total of$230 million across a variety of plans to strengthen infrastructure, which includes$100 million and additional funding for private road and bridge repair, which is still among the top needs region wide. There is money for dam safety and removal, flood monitoring alert networks, game land repairs, among many other items under infrastructure. Also in the proposed recovery legislation,$17 million for agriculture-related projects and another$450 million in required matching funds to help unlock further federal assistance. You can view the full bill at WNCrecovery.nc.gov and also keep up to date with a dashboard of data points that are tracking the region's storm recovery. Now here's where the context comes in. In the two previous Helene relief bills proposed by Governor Stein, he has seen the General Assembly fund about half of the dollar amount for those projects. Will we see this third bill follow a similar path, or does the General Assembly have other ideas? We will see when they get back to work a little bit later this month. That does it for this episode of Mind Your Business, this program written and produced each week by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to WATA for placing us on the airwaves each week. Remember, if you're not a subscriber of the podcast, do not hesitate any further. Subscribe wherever you get your podcast. You can also visit us online anytime at Boonechamber.com. Happy Easter weekend. We'll talk to you next week. So long, everybody.