Carter County commissioners approve disaster-related payments, reject three vendor invoices for further review

Chairperson Ginger Holdren convened the Carter County Board of Commissioners’ special called session on March 6 to hear a disaster-recovery update and consider a sequence of disaster-related payments and purchase orders.

The meeting’s primary substantive item was a presentation from Sonya Shows of Schaus, LLC and Shannon Ball, TEMA’s State Hazard Mitigation Officer. Shows told commissioners that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is handling 52 projects and that debris collection finished Feb. 22; she estimated roughly 200 tons of debris remained at some sites and said volunteers had offered to help remove it. Ball said roughly $73 million is currently in the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and that those funds become available about one year after the disaster; he urged the county to designate a single point of contact to streamline grant applications and technical reviews.

Commissioners debated whether to waive landfill fees for affected homeowners after Shows said ‘‘four of five’’ homes still had debris at the roadway. A motion to waive fees failed on a recorded voice vote (10 yes, 8 no). Commissioners then approved a motion by Kelly Collins, seconded by Jason Clawson, directing volunteers to collect debris from the affected properties and authorizing the county to pay approximately $11,500 in landfill fees from the County Unassigned Fund Balance; that motion passed 14–4. (Transcript wording is inconsistent: Ms. Shows said ‘‘four of five’’ homes, while the motion text references "4/6 homeowners." The record contains both formulations.)

Following a brief recess, the board considered 21 action items forwarded from the Budget Committee related to disaster response, recovery and reimbursement. The commission approved a series of check requests and purchase orders, including payments to: Your Public Adjuster ($5,500), Cokeville Police Department ($6,518.27), United Rentals ($115), Sidekick Excavation ($1,800), Trilec Products (two invoices totaling $7,486.67), Container Man (two invoices totaling $1,400), and several invoices to Schaus Professional Services (including $92,658.99 and smaller invoices). The board also approved two large invoices from Thompson Consulting Services for $392,992.79 and $374,762.26; both motions passed after commissioners noted the invoices exceeded a previously approved $300,000 purchase order.

Three motions failed on recorded voice votes: payments to Crawford & Company ($6,659.63), YA Engineering Services ($5,198.19), and Unified Building Sciences ($8,093.57). Commissioners voted to ask those three vendors for additional information about completed work and to re-present the items at the regular commission meeting on March 17, 2025; that motion passed 15–3. Other approved items included a $350 requisition for the Highway Department, a purchase order to TFR Enterprises (estimated January/February invoices), a $150,000 purchase order to Environmental & Civil Engineering, and a $2,109.60 settlement payment to Everbridge.

Votes were recorded aloud for each motion; tallies and individual yes/no votes are included in the official minutes. After the last action item, Commissioner Nick Holder moved to adjourn; the commission approved the motion and the meeting ended at 9:48 PM.

What happens next: The three failed invoices will be returned for further vendor documentation at the commission’s March 17 regular session. TEMA staff said they will support eligibility reviews for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications and recommended the county name a single point of contact to speed reviews.