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Avery County approves archaeological-monitoring contract for waterways debris removal (NTE $19,000)
Summary
County staff said FEMA/EHP require archaeological monitoring at certain debris-removal sites; the board approved an as-needed contract for monitoring not to exceed $19,000 to proceed with waterways cleanup.
Avery County officials told the Board of Commissioners that federal and state environmental review requirements (EHP/SHPO) obligate the county to provide archaeological monitoring at some waterways-debris sites before debris removal can proceed.
An unidentified county staff member explained that FEMA and the state EHP determine which sites need archaeological monitoring but typically do not disclose detailed reasons to the county. The staff member estimated monitoring costs as high as $3,000 per day for contractors and identified five sites that currently appear to require monitoring.
Because monitoring requirements can delay or alter debris-removal work, the staff member asked the board to approve an as-needed contract for archaeological monitoring. Commissioner (Speaker 2) moved to approve the contract with a not-to-exceed amount of $19,000; the motion was seconded and the board approved it by voice vote.
The staff member said the county will try to batch monitoring work so multiple sites can be covered in a single day to limit cost. The meeting record shows a short discussion about who determines historical or environmental significance (EHP/SHPO/FEMA were cited) and about approved vendors for work that sometimes come from out of state.
The approval permits the county to hire monitoring services when required as debris sites are assessed and cleared. No detailed site list beyond the conservative count of five was presented at the meeting; staff said the number could increase as additional sites are assessed.
