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Board accepts Avenue 56 interim repair and ends storm emergency contracting authority
Summary
The board accepted completion of the Avenue 56 interim repair and voted to terminate an emergency proclamation that had enabled streamlined contracting after March 2023 storms; staff said FEMA reimbursements are beginning to arrive but full recovery will take years.
Resource Management Agency staff briefed the Tulare County Board of Supervisors and asked the board to accept the Avenue 56 interim repair as complete and to end emergency contracting authority tied to the March 2023 storms.
RMA staff told the board the emergency proclamation enabled rapid response to 237 damaged locations across the county after those storms and allowed the county to use force‑account work, time‑and‑materials contracts and limited bid shortcuts to restore access to isolated properties. “This is a big milestone in the recovery,” the presenter said.
Why it matters: the storms damaged roads and bridges across wide parts of the county; the emergency proclamation let county crews and contractors restore access quickly. Staff said roughly $175 million is the current estimated recovery need countywide, with about $30 million of work completed under the emergency processes. RMA said it has worked with dozens of consultants and 12 contractors and that 87 locations were addressed directly by county crews and contracts under the proclamation.
Staff explained the two‑phase approach used after the storms: immediate access and temporary repairs to restore travel followed by permanent reconstruction, design, environmental clearance and property acquisition. Examples included temporary bridges and roadway repairs in remote areas; RMA said some temporary fixes are designed to last roughly a decade while permanent designs are prepared.
On funding and reimbursements, staff said FEMA and federal reimbursements are starting to come in and noted that six of 90 FEMA project applications have been obligated. “We’re starting to see actual money reimbursement coming in from FEMA,” the presenter told the board, while cautioning that additional reimbursements and cash‑flow timing will determine whether county road maintenance schedules need to be adjusted.
Board action: Supervisor Townsend moved and Supervisor Valero seconded a motion to accept the Avenue 56 interim repair work as complete and to terminate the emergency proclamation for contracting related to the March 2023 storm. The board voted unanimously to approve the motion.
Ending: RMA said work will continue under regular public‑works processes for design and permanent reconstruction; staff asked the board for continued patience as some projects will take years to complete and noted that reimbursements are beginning to arrive.
