Gilliam County awards $30,000 contract to update emergency operations plan; FEMA grant will cover most costs

Arlington — The Gilliam County Court on April 16 approved a contract with Fairwinds Consulting LLC for $30,000 to update the county’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). County staff said a FEMA‑related grant will reimburse most of the cost.

The court heard from Anya (county staff) that three vendors were solicited, two bids were returned — Fairwinds at $30,000 and Stantec at $5,000 — and that her recommendation was to select Fairwinds. Anya told the court the county has received a grant for $26,412 that can be applied to the project; the county general fund would cover the remaining roughly $3,500 if FEMA reimbursement is delayed or not approved.

Why it matters: the county’s EOP has not been comprehensively updated since 2011; staff described the existing 450‑page plan as unwieldy and said the update will reduce the document to roughly a 50‑page operational checklist to make it more usable during an incident.

County staff said the grant period covers two years and Fairwinds proposed an estimated completion time of 12 months from contract signature; staff proposed completing the project by July 1, 2026. The updated plan will include the county’s three incorporated cities — Arlington, Condit (spelled in transcript as Long Rock), and Condon — because Gilliam County provides emergency management services for those cities.

The court moved and seconded Anya’s recommendation to accept the Fairwinds bid. Commissioners voted in favor and the motion carried.

Ending: Staff will execute a contract with Fairwinds Consulting LLC, proceed with project kickoff and provide periodic updates to the court.