Franklin County officials and geotechnical consultants reviewed stabilization options and estimated costs after a significant slope failure that has undermined a county roadway, discussing temporary access, contractor-led excavation, and the prospect of federal reimbursement.

Consultants said two borings reached bedrock — one at about 77 feet and a second at about 101 feet — and described two principal repair options: a large shot-rock buttress with extensive excavation, or a lighter-weight, proprietary cellular concrete system anchored with tiebacks. "We drilled, 2 borings. So the first went down 77 feet, hit rock, then the second was a 101 feet hit rock," said Speaker 2, the geotechnical consultant on the call. The team discussed drainage, installing drains through shot rock, and the need to tie lightweight concrete down because the material is "lighter than water," Speaker 2 said.

The consultants outlined the scale of material and cost uncertainty. One participant summarized the shot-rock option as requiring roughly 12,000 to 13,000 tons of material and suggested an all-in cost in the neighborhood of $400,000 to $500,000 when excavation, hauling and placement are included. Specific cost components discussed included material delivery, excavation (estimated as a significant additional expense), and hauling; one estimate named $150,000 for delivered rock and roughly $100,000 for hauling and disposal, with other site work adding tens of thousands of dollars.

County staff raised constructability and scheduling concerns, including whether the county’s fleet could perform long-reach excavation or whether a contractor should be given a turnkey scope. "It would be more prudent to have the contractor just take it as a turnkey sort of operation," said Speaker 1, noting contractors can marshal trucks and equipment quickly. Participants discussed phasing the work in 40-foot sections to manage safety and staging; one consultant warned that full-depth excavation may be unavoidable for large failures.

The group discussed downstream constraints on placing excavated material, including floodplain limits; Speaker 1 said material removed from the site could not be placed within the floodplain. The county also discussed approaching nearby landowners or farms about temporary disposal or reuse of material.

Public-safety and access considerations factored in: participants estimated about 10–20 households could be affected if the road is closed and noted school-district routing and emergency-response times as additional concerns. County representatives said closing the road permanently would be politically fraught and could not be ruled out as a last resort.

The county said it had met with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and that federal assistance was progressing. "They're ready to write the check," Speaker 1 reported regarding FEMA’s review and funding process.

After discussion, the group agreed to develop a formal scope of work and prepare documents to solicit contractor proposals and firm cost estimates. The county indicated it will refine quantities, check comparable recent projects (including a shot-rock solution on a nearby state route) and return with more precise bids and schedule options.

Ending: County staff and consultants characterized the situation as urgent, with substantial implementation complexity and cost uncertainty. The group planned to return with a draft scope and proposal list to narrow the preferred repair approach and to clarify the role of contractors versus county forces; FEMA reimbursement and contractor availability were flagged as key contingencies.