A federal government shutdown started on Oct. 1, closing various government offices and furloughing thousands of federal employees. In Macon County, most services remain operational, but FSA payments to farmers could be delayed.
Macon County’s Farm Services Agency workers have been furloughed and could not be contacted for comment. Cooperative Extension director Christine Bredenkamp said federal Helene recovery payments to farmers through the FSA may be delayed by the shutdown. Gov. Josh Stein requested federal recovery efforts be exempted from the effects of the shutdown.
The United States Postal Service operates independently of federal funding and is presently unaffected by the shutdown.
Visitor areas of the Nantahala National Forest remain open according to the U.S. Forest Service website, though some services for visitors may not be available.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was temporarily reopened after the Friends of the Smokies, the State of Tennessee, Sevier County and Sevierville, Blount County (Tenn.), the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge paid to keep the park “fully open and operational” from Oct. 4 through Oct. 10, according to a press release from the nonprofit. Tennessee agreed to pay $80,000 and all other entities agreed to pay $45,500 to sustain the park for the seven-day period.
The Social Security office in Franklin remains open and most services will still be available, though a notice on the door says local offices cannot replace Medicare cards or issue proof of income letters (though both services are available online) or update and correct earnings records.
Medicare and Veterans Affairs payments are set to continue as planned. The VA’s call center and crisis line remain online.
Macon County Manager Warren Cabe said some local programs could be affected by the shutdown, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Women, Infants and Children program, but the county has received assurances from the state that such programs can remain temporarily active.
“We have no plans to furlough anyone based on the information available at this time,” Cabe said. “There are other agencies we partner with such as the Farm Services Agency which provides services to our local farmers that the shutdown could affect as well as funding that might be available through certain conservation programs. We are evaluating the situation as it progresses, but our local governmental systems are still functioning as normal to provide necessary services to our residents and visitors.”