The NCORR Disaster

Episode 54 of the Where the Dogwood Blooms podcast, hosted by Cassie Clark, titled "The NCORR Disaster" was published on February 4, 2026 and runs 58 minutes.

February 4, 2026 ·58m · Where the Dogwood Blooms

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Summary

Cassie sits down with North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek to talk plainly about the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency — why it was created, and why so many North Carolinians were left frustrated and waiting.They walk through NCORR’s beginnings after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, when people needed help fast and trusted the state to get it right. Instead, there were leadership shakeups, expensive mistakes, and a sweeping audit that raised some hard questions.Cassie and Auditor Boliek dig into what went wrong — from misused funds to a botched software rollout and a recovery system that moved far too slowly for families who had already lost so much. They also zoom out and talk about the bigger picture: what disaster recovery should look like in North Carolina, why local knowledge matters, why a coordinated state response is critical, and what has to change so we don’t repeat these same mistakes the next time a storm hits.00:00 Introduction and Welcome01:03 Background on NCOR02:12 Creation and Leadership of NCOR03:33 NCOR's Purpose and Responsibilities08:09 Challenges and Mismanagement14:38 Accounting Issues and Contractor Relations27:36 Future Recommendations and State Collaboration29:12 The Importance of Long-Term Disaster Planning31:03 Firsthand Accounts of Disaster Impact31:52 Human Cost and Accountability in Disaster Recovery32:33 Tracking and Accountability of Disaster Funds33:28 Challenges in Long-Term Recovery38:12 Unified Approach to Disaster Recovery51:38 Role of Local Knowledge in Disaster Response55:31 Ensuring Effective Use of Disaster FundsConnect with Dave Boliek:WebsiteXSponsors:Knights of Pythias Cumberland Lodge No. 5Support Where the Dogwood Blooms: If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us via:VenmoCash AppConnect with Where the Dogwood Blooms:WebsiteInstagramXTikTokContact:[email protected]:#NCORR #DaveBoliek #HurricaneRecovery #NorthCarolina #WhereTheDogwoodBlooms

Episode Description

They walk through NCORR’s beginnings after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, when people needed help fast and trusted the state to get it right. Instead, there were leadership shakeups, expensive mistakes, and a sweeping audit that raised some hard questions.

Cassie and Auditor Boliek dig into what went wrong — from misused funds to a botched software rollout and a recovery system that moved far too slowly for families who had already lost so much. They also zoom out and talk about the bigger picture: what disaster recovery should look like in North Carolina, why local knowledge matters, why a coordinated state response is critical, and what has to change so we don’t repeat these same mistakes the next time a storm hits.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:03 Background on NCOR

02:12 Creation and Leadership of NCOR

03:33 NCOR's Purpose and Responsibilities

08:09 Challenges and Mismanagement

14:38 Accounting Issues and Contractor Relations

27:36 Future Recommendations and State Collaboration

29:12 The Importance of Long-Term Disaster Planning

31:03 Firsthand Accounts of Disaster Impact

31:52 Human Cost and Accountability in Disaster Recovery

32:33 Tracking and Accountability of Disaster Funds

33:28 Challenges in Long-Term Recovery