Court approves NRCS debris‑removal awards and authorizes procurement for FEMA‑approved flood repairs

The Fletcher County Fiscal Court on July 21 accepted a slate of NRCS debris‑removal bids and directed staff to solicit contractors to complete FEMA‑approved flood repair projects, prioritizing the county’s 2022 flood projects when feasible. The court voted to accept Razorback Trucking for NRCS debris removal after a recommendation from staff. County staff read a list of approximately two dozen NRCS project bid line items into the record; bids ranged from a few thousand dollars to larger sums for more extensive sites, and the court moved to approve the projects “as presented.” Court members discussed using smaller contractors to get projects completed quickly because larger regional contractors are busy; the county is seeking to balance cost against FEMA’s reimbursement rules. Officials said that if projects are documented and submitted as work completed and FEMA approves them, reimbursement will be based on actual costs, but several projects have capped amounts that will not increase if costs rise. The court instructed staff to post procurement notices and indicated it might hold a short special called meeting to approve awards once bids are received. On buyouts and hazard mitigation, staff said there is no FEMA confirmation yet for buyouts tied to the most recent disaster, but 20 states have pursued legal action to secure hazard mitigation money, and Fletcher was one of the counties granted a reduced local cost share for buyouts; staff said the local share was reduced from 25% to 10% for an eligible buyout program, and the county will pursue grant funding to cover the local match. Officials warned hazard mitigation funding is not guaranteed and said they are continuing to pursue multiple funding sources. The court discussed one previously awarded project on Comer Drive that staff will check on; members asked staff to follow up on project status.