NEWFANE — Five properties Tropical Storm Irene trashed on her way through town nearly two years ago are in various stages of buyout under government auspices, though one is trailing behind the others.
According to Selectboard member Christine Druke, delivering an update Aug. 15 on grant assistance via the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), a federal initiative targeted for properties that were partially or completely destroyed by natural disasters, the buyout work is proceeding apace.
These five properties are in flux, she said:
• 28 Stratton Hill Rd. and 5 Hickey Rd., both in South Newfane, are, with the exception of loose ends, ready to bundle and go to the state for a final review.
• 236 Dover Rd. is waiting for allocation of funding and a closing date to be set, and will probably go first.
• 246 Dover Rd. is in its initial phases, and is just working through the paperwork. The state has approved it for round five of the HMGP, Druke said. “I don't expect anything to happen until November, basically December,” she added.
• 279 Dover Rd., declined for HMGP, is “languishing on the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) side,” Druke said. “I'm saying it's probably going to take as long as, potentially, the spring to go through this whole process.”
Each property receiving grant aid was appraised for its market value as of Aug. 27, 2011, the day before the storm struck.