Pike County approves expanded disaster-management contract as FEMA inspections loom

Pike County Fiscal Court on Tuesday approved Amendment No. 1 to a master task order with a disaster-management contractor to support the county’s FEMA Public Assistance documentation and damage scoping.

The amendment raises the contract ceiling from roughly $180,000 to $538,990 to coverexpanded recovery work while officials prepare for FEMA assessments. “Once that meeting takes place, we only have 60 days to submit to FEMA all the damage that’s been done to county roads, infrastructure,” Judge Jones said during the meeting.

The county’s presentation said the cost-share for eligible repairs is expected to be roughly FEMA 75 percent, state 12 percent and the county 13 percent; the county’s share will be covered by emergency funds already identified, Judge Jones said. The court also identified two priority bridge sites — Middle Elk and Woodman Summer — that officials want scoped and prioritized for repair.

Why it matters: County leaders said the scope and speed of recovery work from recent floods will hinge on timely documentation and federally driven rules. Judge Jones, who described earlier missed reimbursements after inadequate procurement during a prior flood, emphasized that county crews cannot both perform repairs and complete the detailed paperwork FEMA requires. He said the county has identified more than 1,300 damaged locations that must be documented and that outside contract staff will be needed to meet FEMA’s 60-day submission window.

Court discussion and context: Judge Jones described Title Basin (contractor name in the record), which the court said will assist the county with procurement and FEMA paperwork to avoid previous problems of rejected claims. He said the task-order ceiling increase “doesn't mean that's what it's going to cost” but is intended to ensure enough contract capacity while FEMA and state assess damages. The court noted there are 12 of 15 initially bid bridge projects and that Middle Elk may be a particularly large span to rebuild.

Court members and staff repeatedly urged patience with FEMA procedures. “We have to comply with it. And we have to make sure that every I is dotted and every T is crossed,” Judge Jones said, adding that federal documentation and scheduling requirements can delay on-the-ground work but are necessary to secure reimbursements.

Officials also said the county will coordinate with Kentucky Emergency Management for on-site FEMA assessments after a telephonic kickoff meeting; the county expects field visits once the contractor and FEMA schedule the in-person scoping. County staff warned that the scale of recent flooding across Central and Western Kentucky will keep outside resources stretched and that Pike County may need to be more self-sufficient for swift-water and urban search-and-rescue capabilities in future events.

Next steps: The court approved the amendment by roll call and instructed staff to proceed with scheduling the FEMA scoping work and to use the contracted disaster-management personnel to document sites. Judge Jones said the county will avoid starting permanent repairs until FEMA completes the scope and approves the work to ensure eligibility for federal reimbursement.

Ending: County officials said they will hold a FEMA kickoff call the following morning and that field assessments will follow scheduling by FEMA and the contractor. Officials also reminded residents of an upcoming voluntary home-buyout information session April 15 at 6 p.m. at the Pike County Library for homeowners repeatedly affected by flooding.