Brianna Kraemer
Carolina Journal
After the North Carolina General Assembly sent a bill to the governor’s office Wednesday evening providing $50 million in funding to the Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR), The North Carolina Department of Public Safety confirmed that NCORR’s chief operating officer is no longer employed with the agency, effective November 20.
This week, the agency was attacked during a committee meeting for its financial mismanagement, which NCORR Director Laura Hogshead openly took the blame for in front of state legislators. However, when she was asked to resign on the spot, she declined to do so, saying that it was up to the governor to decide. But just two days later, she no longer works there. Pryor Gibson, the deputy legislative counsel to Gov. Roy Cooper, will serve as interim director in her place.
While much of Senate Bill 382 deals with other issues like disaster relief and changing the governor’s powers, one provision addresses the ongoing issues with NCORR, the agency created in 2018 to assist in the rebuilding process following Hurricanes Matthew and Florence.
“Senate Bill 382 is a substantial piece of legislation,” said Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Ashe, outlining key items in the bill. “It also has an additional $50 million from SERDRF for the homeowner recovery projects at NCORR related to our previous storms, bringing the total additional appropriation for NCORR to $80 million.”
The House passed the bill on Tuesday night in a controversial 63-46 vote, and the Senate passed the legislation 30-19 late Wednesday afternoon.
NCORR recently requested additional funds from the General Assembly while revealing a massive hole in the disaster recovery budget –upward of $175 million – even though North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Florence are still without permanent housing.
The bill that passed on Wednesday will allocate the $50 million from the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management’s (OSBM) Disaster Relief Reserve for NCORR. It will also improve NCORR’s oversight and reporting requirements.
The bill requires the state auditor to examine NCORR’s finances and performance by July 1, 2025. Additional periodic audits are also required, including any requested by the Director of the Budget or the General Assembly.
The OSBM must conduct ongoing financial monitoring of NCORR for its entire operational duration, including tracking budgets, expenditures, and obligations related to past, current, and future storm recovery programs. OSBM must submit quarterly reports on NCORR’s financial monitoring to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations and the Fiscal Research Division while the office expends state or federal funds for storm recovery
On Monday, Rep. Brenden Jones, R-Robeson, asked if the director of NCORR if she would turn in her resignation after she admitted the responsibility fell on her. After she declined, Jones concluded that he would fire the officials for the “comedy of errors” and for spending like a teenager with mom’s credit card. He said even though those are his people requesting assistance, NCORR failed miserably and has proven its inability to work for North Carolinians.
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