Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elbert County emergency manager submits debris plan; commissioners ask to place adoption on next agenda
Summary
Elbert County Director of Emergency Management presented a final draft of the county Debris Management Plan and reported federal and state recovery awards for recent disasters. The board asked staff to place formal consideration of the plan on the next meeting agenda; no adoption vote was taken at Feb. 26 meeting.
Elbert County Director of Emergency Management Aaron Bull presented the final draft of the Elbert County Debris Management Plan and summarized recent federal and state disaster assistance for the county.
Bull said the plan provides “a structured approach to efficient debris removal and disposal” and is intended to align county operations with FEMA and EPA guidelines to preserve potential reimbursement eligibility. He asked the board to formally designate primary and alternate debris sites, listing the Elbert County Fairgrounds, the Fondis Pit, the County Road & Bridge Yard and, as alternatives needing intergovernmental agreements, the Brush Pile and the Town of Elizabeth Public Works Yard.
Bull also described other emergency management developments. He said the county has implemented an integrated public alert and warning system to distribute notifications by radio, television and mobile devices and has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the American Red Cross “to collect and distribute community aid.” He reported Elbert County received federal funding to rebuild the Agate Bridge (described in the meeting as $425,000.768 with 64¢ in the transcript; Bull said there is a county cost share of about 12.5% and that final numbers from the U.S. Small Business Administration were available). Bull reported individual assistance distributed under FEMA totaled about $315,800 for homeowners and about $31,700 for businesses under the rural declaration; he said he would provide the recorder with exact figures.
Commissioners did not adopt the Debris Management Plan at the meeting. One commissioner asked that the plan be placed on the next agenda for approval; the board did not take a final vote on plan adoption during the Feb. 26 session.
Bull also announced departmental recognition: at the Colorado Emergency Managers Association annual conference, Elbert County’s emergency management team received an award with Bull noting it was “an award for the county, as well as myself.” He announced an April 2025 “Mulch Madness” event, a partnership with Mountain View Electric Association offering free mulch shredding and wildfire mitigation information.
The county attorney, county manager and Office of Emergency Management staff were identified in the presentation as contributors; the draft plan lists site locations and operational logistics for review by county staff.
Next steps: the board requested the debris plan be placed on a future agenda for formal action. Bull offered to refine the plan per commissioner feedback before that vote.
Ending: Staff materials including the debris plan and the cited FEMA/SBA figures were offered to the county recorder and will be available for the board’s review before the next meeting.
