Board defers vote on $324,000 fire-repair amendment for St. Clair Brook restoration

Board of Supervisors Chairman Deontay Diggs said Feb. 4 the board would consider an amendment to the construction contract for the St. Clair Brook Stream Restoration Project but ultimately deferred the item so staff could provide additional details.

The item would have authorized the county administrator to approve a contract amendment with KBS Earthworks that includes roughly $324,000 in additional expenses to repair fire damage to about 9,000 square feet within the restoration area. Emily Torrey, Development Services, told the board the high cost stems from access and site conditions created by the burn.

"The reason that the project is so expensive is the fire burn scar is located within the middle of the project, and the access to the project is extremely difficult," Torrey said, adding that construction equipment must be brought down into a valley, requiring substantial grading and remobilization.

Torrey said the contractor estimate included nearly $100,000 for stabilization measures and about $25,000 for vegetation replacement; she also said roughly $20,000 of the total is mobilization and demobilization. Torrey told supervisors the county has an executed SLAF grant agreement that slightly increased the state share to help cover the fire repairs and that an incident report had been created for possible insurance claims.

Several supervisors questioned whether the county had pursued an insurance claim and whether other cost reductions or grant sources were available. Torrey said staff had created an incident report and would follow up on the insurance question.

Board members also expressed interest in seeing before-and-after photos and a more detailed cost breakdown. Supervisor English requested photos showing the damage and repairs. After discussion, one supervisor moved to defer the item; the board voted unanimously to table the contract amendment until the next meeting so staff could return with additional information.

Torrey told the board that part of the project’s urgency is regulatory: the county’s municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit requires certain pollutant-load removals to meet fiscal-year milestones, and portions of the St. Clair Brook work were late.

The board did not approve the contract amendment on Feb. 4. Staff will return at a future meeting with additional cost detail, photos and follow-up on insurance and potential grant reductions.

Ending: The board’s request for photos and a clearer cost breakdown reflects concern among supervisors about using county funds for post-fire repairs; staff will return with the requested materials at the next regular meeting.