The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize staff to enter negotiations with the top three responsive proposers for disaster storm debris removal and storm debris monitoring and management contracts.

Assistant Public Works Director Robert Siemens told the board the contracts would be "bookshelf contracts" — pre-negotiated agreements that sit unused until the county activates them after a disaster. "No monies go out unless we activate these contracts," Siemens said, and the agreements are intended to reduce lead time when a storm requires large-scale debris operations.

Siemens said the prior response to Hurricane Helene required roughly $13,000,000 for debris removal and monitoring. He estimated the county’s work from a subsequent storm, referred to as Debbie, could be "close to $5,000,000," mainly for force-account labor and materials that the county expects to seek reimbursement for through FEMA and GEMA.

Chairman David Bennett and other officials said county staff have been working to accelerate FEMA paperwork; Bennett said the county is "sitting on about $20,000,000 of money owed to us for storm relief" while awaiting federal and state obligations and audits. Emergency Management Director Corey Kemp and other staff described recent progress in completing FEMA submissions and noted a separate, earlier FEMA obligation of about $60,000 for past management costs.

Commissioners asked whether contracted firms could leave to pursue higher-paying work elsewhere; Siemens said contracts include clauses and that, while companies could relocate resources, the agreements improve the county’s chance of receiving priority service. Siemens also said negotiations will address pricing and that FEMA guidance sets standards for what is considered reasonable pricing.

A motion to authorize negotiations with the top three firms for each RFP was moved, seconded and carried unanimously. Commissioners and staff said they plan to maintain multiple vendors so the county can activate an alternate if a primary vendor cannot respond quickly after a storm.