Wyoming County Commissioners agreed to waive the fee for building permits for those rebuilding as a result of recent flooding.

“They still have to get a permit,” emphasized Dean Meadows, county Emergency Services director. “They still have to go through the process.”

Meadows emphasized the process won’t change for those in the flood-damaged areas, the county will just waive the building permit fee until Dec. 31.

“That should give them sufficient time,” he told commissioners.

More than 150 homes and businesses in Wyoming County sustained damage as a result of May 9 flooding, some of those were completely destroyed. Hanover took the hardest hit in this round of flooding, according to officials.

“At least 20 businesses have been damaged,” he said of the county.

“The creeks in that area (Hanover) are a mess,” he said.

Meadows said the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection will be cleaning the debris from the creeks, while West Virginia Conservation Agency will be removing the trees.

Other agencies will be looking at the waterways for long-term solutions, Meadows said.

Nearly half-a-million dollars has been saved by burning the wood debris left by the flood, Meadows said.

“We could have loaded it onto trucks,” he noted, but burning it saved the tax payers’ money.

Additionally, commissioners discussed the number of private bridges lost during the May 9 flooding.

Nearly 50 private bridges were destroyed as a result of May 9 flooding, according to Meadows, as well as two public bridges.

Silas Mullins, commission president, said common sense dictates replacing the bridges so they won’t wash out again.

The problem is there are no regulations for constructing those private bridges, Meadows noted.

He said the bridges that were installed correctly were not washed away in the May 9 flood; however, those that were not constructed correctly were.

The Division of Highways does require a permit if the bridge comes off their right-of-way, Meadows noted.

There is some FEMA money available for access damage, Meadows said.

However, it will not cover the entire cost of the bridge, according to officials.

Meadows said the state Legislature is looking into assisting with privately-owned bridges and may come up with a solution and some funding possibilities.

Also, the commission will have to look at another round of federal Hazard Mitigation applications, Meadows said.

While Hazard Mitigation monies can include building retaining walls, elevating houses, and relocating houses, Meadows said Wyoming County only deals with acquisition of property.

Building retaining walls or relocating flooded houses is not feasible here, Meadows said.

Building a retaining wall on a small creek may end up “pinching it off” and creating more damage, he explained.

Elevating houses in areas that are repeatedly flooded would not remove residents from harm’s way, he said. “That piece of property could be surrounded by water.”

Buying property that is repeatedly flooded will remove residents from harm’s way and that is the purpose of the program, Meadows explained to commissioners.

Once the property is acquired through the mitigation program, permanent structures cannot be built on the site and existing structures are torn down.

Wyoming County would also be competing with other counties for the Hazard Mitigation monies, Meadows said, and the program is very competitive.

The commission will have to set the criteria for those applying and a public hearing will be conducted before the application process is completed.