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Van Zandt County awards debris monitoring contract; FEMA, state reimbursement discussed
Summary
The commissioners approved a contract with Debris Tech to monitor debris removal by Drury Construction. A public commenter asked whether FEMA reimbursement is guaranteed; a county official said FEMA normally covers 75% of eligible costs and the Texas Division of Emergency Management may cover the remaining 25%.
Van Zandt County commissioners on Wednesday approved a contract to hire Debris Tech to provide disaster debris monitoring services tied to a previously approved debris removal agreement with Drury Construction.
The decision follows a committee recommendation that unanimously favored Debris Tech. Ann Nelson, speaking during public comment on behalf of the Van Zandt County Democratic Party, asked whether the county can expect federal reimbursement for debris work: "Is FEMA is FEMA still going to reimburse us?" she said.
A county presenter said FEMA typically reimburses local governments for eligible debris work at 75% of costs and that the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) has authorized the additional 25% to be paid through the state, noting that the practical question is how long reimbursement will take. "Normally, FEMA would reimburse us for our costs, 75% ... the Texas Department of Emergency Management is authorizing the additional 25% to be paid through them," the presenter said.
Commissioners earlier approved Drury Construction as the county's debris removal contractor; the monitoring contract is intended to provide independent oversight of Drury's removal work, a FEMA requirement for projects seeking reimbursement. The court voted in favor of the Debris Tech award by voice; commissioners did not record a roll-call tally on the record.
The county did not provide a detailed timeline for reimbursement or an estimated payment schedule at the meeting. County staff said the monitoring contract will allow tree and debris removal to proceed and help the county meet FEMA requirements necessary for reimbursement.
The court approved the monitoring award after the committee presented scores from two applicants and recommended Debris Tech. No further financial terms of the monitoring contract were discussed on the record during the motion and vote.
The court's action closes the committee phase of the procurement; the county indicated staff will finalize the contract and proceed with monitoring once paperwork is completed.
