Committee directs mayor to solicit sandbag vendors and seeks agreement before hurricane season

The Policy Committee approved a resolution directing the county mayor, or the mayor’s designee, to solicit vendors to provide sandbags during declared states of emergency. The resolution establishes a minimum scope of work for the solicitation and requires solicitation language to conform with reimbursement requirements under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Commissioner Cohen Higgins moved the resolution and Commissioner Cabrera seconded. During consideration the chair offered a friendly amendment asking the administration to complete the procurement process and enter into a vendor agreement prior to the start of hurricane season (defined in the meeting as June 1), if feasible given procurement rules. The committee approved the resolution as amended by voice vote.

Why it matters: Commissioners framed the action as an emergency‑preparedness measure to ensure county residents can access sandbags quickly during declared emergencies and to preserve eligibility for federal reimbursement under the Stafford Act.

Ending: The committee approved the solicitation with a target for an agreement before June 1 to ensure readiness for the hurricane season; administration was asked to follow normal procurement rules while seeking to meet the timeline.