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Commission debates disaster invoices and approves generator payment tied to flood response
Summary
Finance staff reported progress on FEMA reimbursements (CAT A/B/C) and said available reimbursements should cover invoices; commissioners unanimously approved a $4,818.89 payment to Osborne Electric for an emergency generator after questions about mobilization, travel time and billing during Hurricane Helene response.
The Carter County Board of Commissioners received a detailed disaster-recovery update from Finance Director Carolyn Watson and approved several disaster-related payments and budget adjustments during its March meeting.
Watson told the board that debris removal (CAT A) is complete and that officials are finalizing data for several CAT B (emergency protective measures) projects. On longer CAT C projects for roads and bridges, FEMA and state inspectors are conducting weekly reviews. She said early indications suggest the county will "have enough money to cover all of those invoices," meaning the costs "won't have to come out of county fund balance." The board discussed administrative-cost reimbursement for three rapid-funded projects that could amount to about $500,000 once invoices are submitted.
A question-and-answer exchange centered on a $4,818.89 invoice from Osborne Electric for a rented industrial generator that was deployed to Hampton Elementary during the flood response. Commissioners and members of the public asked why the county is paying for mobilization and what period the payment covers, because records show the generator was onsite for a short time while travel and mobilization logs indicated longer hours. Finance and emergency management staff explained the generator was a rented asset requested through EMA when the original shelter location lost power; because telephone and radio communications were down they could not call off the mobilization after the Red Cross relocated the shelter. Commissioner discussion noted mobilization, overtime labor and specialized hookup work (transfer switches and wiring) that can raise costs for large, towed generators.
While members pressed for invoice detail and supporting reports, the board approved the Osborne Electric payment from the Helene disaster line item and agreed to continue clarifying documentation for other invoices and grant submissions. Multiple public commenters also urged the board to audit contractor invoices and to consider volunteer time and expense-matching as part of the FEMA portal documentation.
The board also reviewed FEMA portal processes and hazard-mitigation submission requirements and heard that several grouped projects (roads, signs, bridges) require hundreds of pages of supporting documentation for reimbursement.
