NORWICH – A temporary waiver of building inspection fees that followed on the heels of last month’s floods could be extended.

Members of the Chenango County Public Health Department made the request at a meeting of the Safety & Rules Committee last week. After a review of flood-related work and a discussion of federal funds for emergency assistance, the subcommittee forwarded a measure to the full Board of Supervisors that would extend the waiver to Oct. 31.

The previous suspension, and that of tipping fees at the county landfill, was to end July 26 but gave the chairman of the board permission to extend them to Aug. 14.

“We don’t expect assistance from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) until at least Sept. 30th,” Code Enforcement Officer Bruce Bates said. Individuals whose homes were lost or severely damaged could have received emergency assistance from New York State and FEMA already, but “they won’t be ready to rebuild in 60 days,” he added.

“It will turn cold soon,” department Director Marcus Flindt said.

Approximately 750 structures in Chenango county have been assessed since the rain storms in late June. Bates estimates more than 200 received heavy damage and 80 were destroyed. “A lot more are turning into ‘destroyed’ because people are abandoning them when it costs too much to repair,” he pointed out.

Moreover, code officials must review outdated flood plane maps before determining if individuals are even permitted to rebuild. “FEMA recommends rebuilding a foot above it now,” Eric Depperman, administrative services officer, said.