Knott County fiscal court authorizes DRC Emergency Services to begin flood debris removal

Knott County Fiscal Court on Monday authorized DRC Emergency Services LLC to begin mobilizing personnel and equipment to remove storm‑generated debris from county roadways and critical structures after flooding on Feb. 25, 2025.

The court voted to issue a notice to proceed that allows DRC to begin “right‑of‑way debris removal, reduction and disposal” under terms of the Commonwealth of Kentucky master service agreement DRC offered to make available to the county. Steve Crawford, representing DRC, told the court the initial work would focus on hazards that could cause additional flooding — bridges, culverts and roadway obstructions — and would be managed under the KYTC contract pricing and terms.

Why it matters: Court members said accelerating cleanup of sand, silt, vegetative debris and large logs from secondary roads and culverts is intended to reduce the risk of repeated flooding during spring rains. The authorization also seeks to prioritize use of local contractors where feasible while preserving federal/state reimbursement eligibility.

Crawford said the county would initially use land‑based equipment and grapple trucks to remove debris and load it for transport to reduction sites. “The scope of the project looks a lot like, initially, debris removal in and around bridges, structures, culverts, to get the initial debris out that was created by the flood to prevent additional flooding,” he said. Crawford told the court his firm is working under a KYTC master agreement for disaster debris removal and that monitors already in the region would document eligible work for FEMA reimbursement.

James Sandlin, Knott County emergency management director, and Crawford both said the county — not the contractor — would be the county’s principal client under this arrangement, giving the fiscal court authority to direct work and terminate the contractor if performance did not meet expectations. Crawford said DRC and a separate monitoring firm (Thompson) would cooperate to ensure work was eligible for reimbursement and to avoid the problems the court described from the 2022 contract process.

Crawford said heavy excavators would not enter waterways under the initial notice to proceed; if and when the county obtains broader approvals (NRCS packages and any required permits), the scope could expand and include equipment or boats where appropriate. He also said any private‑property access would require a signed right‑of‑entry (ROE) from landowners.

Several court members asked about specific debris categories (construction and demolition debris, vegetative material, sand/silt/mud, white goods, hazardous materials). Crawford said the monitoring firm will classify material eligibility per FEMA guidance and KYTC/FEMA requirements. He said the contractor can remove material deposited in roadways or placed in the right of way — including sand, silt and mud — when it creates an immediate flooding hazard.

Court members also discussed budget controls. Crawford said the Commonwealth master agreement has no preset cap; the fiscal court may add a “not to exceed” amount on the county’s notice to proceed and revisit that limit as work progresses.

Action taken: Paul Craft moved to authorize issuance of a notice to proceed to DRC Emergency Services LLC to mobilize equipment and personnel to begin emergency right‑of‑way debris removal; Rick Thomas seconded. The motion carried.

What’s next: DRC and the county will coordinate field assessments, weekly or more frequent progress meetings, and monitoring reports from Thompson to document eligibility and yardage for reimbursement. The court discussed meeting weekly with the contractor and monitoring firm while work is underway.

Sources: Presentation and Q&A with Steve Crawford (DRC Emergency Services) and James Sandlin (Knott County emergency management director).