Commission authorizes notice to proceed on Turner Cemetery Bridge; FEMA reimbursement gap discussed

County emergency management staff briefed commissioners on a portfolio of FEMA‑related recovery projects and recommended issuing a notice to proceed for Turner Cemetery Bridge repairs. Commissioners voted to authorize the notice after a lengthy discussion of cost, FEMA reimbursement practices and mitigation opportunities.

Dennis (speaker 13, emergency management) told commissioners the awarded contractor price for Turner Cemetery Bridge is roughly $827,000 while FEMA’s current 'best available cost' column lists about $224,000. He explained that the county has pursued multiple engineering justifications to raise FEMA’s reimbursement estimate and that mitigation calculations could help close much of the gap; he warned that if FEMA’s numbers do not change the county could be liable for the difference.

Commissioners pressed for options to limit exposure. Staff described a two‑step approach used elsewhere: a provisional notice for design and materials procurement, followed by a construction notice once FEMA numbers and funding commitments become clearer. Ultimately the board authorized a notice to proceed for Turner Cemetery Bridge so contractors can move forward, citing public‑safety and access impacts from the closed structure.

The meeting also covered related FEMA projects (Shoals Park, Steel Bridge Road, boat ramp) where staff recommended phased notices or additional cost‑clarification steps to protect the county from unanticipated local matches. Commissioners asked staff to pursue contingency funding conversations with state partners and to return with refined cost estimates and mitigation outcomes before construction starts on other large bids.