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Board approves CDBG sewer grant application for Hermanville; staff briefed on FEMA assessments and road/bridge projects
Summary
The board authorized a CDBG sewer grant application and match resolution for Hermanville, heard updates on FEMA/MEMA storm processes, and received status reports on multiple road, bridge and multipurpose building projects; the county engineer said contracts are under attorney review.
Claiborne County moved forward on several infrastructure and disaster-recovery items at its Feb. 2 meeting.
County administrator Ross presented a request from Lynette Smith of Southwest Planning and Development to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for sewer improvements in Hermanville. The board authorized the application, gave staff permission to advertise for engineers, and approved a local match resolution to be signed by the board president and the chancery clerk.
Emergency Management/EOC Director Marvin Ratliff updated supervisors on damage assessments after a recent wind/ice storm and the county’s status relative to state and federal declarations. Ratliff said there are thresholds for public-assistance eligibility and that the county should qualify for the state declaration; he added staff are completing damage assessments and coordinating with FEMA and the state to determine whether the county meets public-assistance thresholds. Ratliff advised the board that decisions about debris removal cannot move forward until MEMA/FEMA assessments are completed and that the county may choose a contract-based or in-house removal approach.
County engineer Tony Avent summarized ongoing projects: the Gordon Station EWP project (contract being finalized with the awarded contractor), the Konyak Ferry Road project (contract under attorney review, preconstruction meeting planned), preparatory work on a multipurpose building (requests for proposals being developed), and state-aid bridge designs for Old Port Gibson Road and Woodline Road. Avent said surveys are complete on two bridge projects and preliminary plans will be submitted to state aid in the coming weeks.
The board asked for staff to continue coordinating with state agencies and to maintain documentation for potential FEMA/MEMA reimbursement; supervisors also asked for transparency in vendor selection for debris removal to avoid recurrence of prior contractor issues.
Next steps: staff will file the CDBG application, advertise for engineering proposals, final contracts will be routed to the county attorney for review, and damage assessments will continue in coordination with MEMA/FEMA.
