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Alleghany County temporarily suspends procurement rules for flood response
Summary
The commissioners approved a 60-day suspension of parts of county procurement code to speed emergency purchases related to recent flooding, with an internal ratification and later public review requirement.
Alleghany County commissioners voted to temporarily suspend parts of the county procurement code to allow emergency purchases tied to the recent flooding.
The suspension, adopted as Resolution 25-4, authorizes county officials to bypass normal bidding rules in narrowly defined emergency procurements for up to 60 days. Attorney Beeman said the measure was modeled on the state's emergency procurement provisions and is limited to flood-related needs.
The resolution defines emergency procurements using the state's standard: when services, materials or supplies cannot be obtained through normal procurement methods and are required to avoid or mitigate serious damage to public health, safety or welfare. Beeman said the suspension would allow initial emergency contracts or expenditures to be authorized by two county officials'the interim director of emergency services and the director of public works'and require a follow-up report to the county administrator within 72 hours for ratification.
Beeman said the county's process differs from the state law because the administrator will preliminarily ratify emergency procurements and then present them to the commissioners at a public meeting for final ratification. The suspension applies only to procurements affected by the flood and cannot be used for any other purpose, he said.
Commissioners approved the resolution by voice vote; the meeting record shows a motion, a second and an "Aye" vote from the dais.
The suspension automatically expires after 60 days unless the commissioners later adopt a separate resolution to extend it. Attorney Beeman told commissioners that, if further time is needed, an extension would have to come through another formal action.
The emergency procurement process is intended to allow quicker contracting for repairs, equipment and services necessary for immediate public-safety response while preserving public oversight by requiring subsequent reporting and a return to the public meeting schedule.
Proponents said the change is narrowly tailored to the flood response and intended to accelerate work protecting health and safety; the text of the resolution specifies it applies only to flood-related emergency procurements and to the limited code sections identified in the measure.
