Court discusses FEMA DR‑4781, CDBG‑MIT and $3.4M CPF for proposed Straws Mill Road bridge

County staff and engineers briefed the court on several active grants and mitigation projects. The court discussed coordination among grant programs (FEMA DR‑4781 mitigation funds, CDBG‑MIT reviews, and a $3,400,000 Community Project Fund previously designated for a bridge on Straws Mill Road), procurement and right‑of‑way issues, and an engineer's estimate of roughly $30,670 for an H&H (hydrology and hydraulics) feasibility and probable construction‑cost opinion covering Straws Mill Road and County Road 321.

Court members asked staff to clarify allowable co‑use of CPF and FEMA funds, to verify procurement and scope issues with Langford or other grant managers before contacting FEMA or HUD field offices, and to pursue a final engineering scope and RFP for grant administration work so the county can understand tradeoffs between soft costs and construction costs. "We have a, community project fund, CPF, of $3,400,000," the judge said, noting the original award was for economic development rather than transportation and that inflation and timing make the original estimate unlikely to cover full construction.