LOUISVILLE, Ga. () – As the one-year mark of Hurricane Helene’s impact approaches, local government officials in Louisville have secured federal funds to assist with ongoing storm recovery efforts.

Back in February, city and county leaders called for help from the state after missing the 120-day FEMA deadline for full reimbursement.

But since then, cleanup for Louisville is in the rear-view mirror.

“We’ve managed to complete many tasks, including fixing roads, sidewalks, and repairing natural gas lines and pipes,” Mayor Jenny Smith explained.

Now, thanks to Senator Max Burns and Representative Brian Prince, the city has now received 6 checks from GEMA for a combined $1 million.

The funds will go towards 8 projects on the list totaling $1.4 million, as well as restocking reserves. 

“To fund these projects, we had to dip into our reserve funds. Thankfully, we are now restoring those reserves as a precaution against future events, like another hurricane or other unforeseen disasters. This strategy saved us from needing a loan,” Smith noted.

While Louisville is making strides, county leaders say there’s still a lot of work they see left to be done. 

Mitchell McGraw, the Jefferson County board of commissioners chairman, commented, “A lot of homes sustained major damage, and many residents are still dealing with the aftermath. Large trees remain in several front yards that used to be neatly maintained.”

County Administrator Jerry Coalson indicated that one of the next priorities is to finish clearing debris and replacing culvert pipes that the storm damaged. 

“We had about nine culvert pipes washed away, and funding is in place for their repair. The county has completed roughly half of these projects, and the remaining ones are smaller and expected to be done in the coming months,” Coalson stated.

As for Louisville, city leaders say the biggest and most important of the eight projects these funds will go towards is the entertainment stage at the city park.

Smith is hoping to get it reopened in time for festivities the city has planned for this December.