Carter County commissioners approve $15.8 million construction manager contract and multiple disaster-recovery payments

ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — The Carter County Board of Commissioners on July 3 approved a package of disaster-recovery payments and construction contracts tied to recent storm damage, including a purchase order for a construction manager for the Hampton High School restoration not to exceed $15,767,780.

The special called session, convened by Chair Ginger Holdren at 6:29 p.m., focused on payments and procurement related to flood and storm response. EMA Director Cathy Umrichin provided a disaster-recovery update; the meeting minutes record that an update was given but do not include details of that report.

The largest single procurement approved was a purchase order for Burleson Construction Company as construction manager for the Hampton High School Restoration Project, capped at $15,767,780.00; the minutes say the contract had already been approved by the Carter County School Board. The motion was made by Commissioner Robert Acuff and seconded by Commissioner Nancy Brown. The minutes record that one commissioner, Donnie Cable, abstained from that vote; the motion carried.

Commissioners also approved an itemized set of FEMA-related bridge payments and engineering invoices: two monthly lease payments of $5,600 each to Landworx Construction for temporary bridges on Poga Road, and engineering invoices to RK&K totaling $73,121.25 across Poga Bridge #1 ($9,830.00), Poga Bridge #2 ($17,690.00) and Long Hollow Bridge ($45,601.25). The minutes identify these projects as "rapid funded" in the FEMA portal.

A check request and payment of $617,211.90 to the Carter County Landfill for debris disposal was approved; the minutes state part of that invoice will be paid from the remaining balance of the HEAL Loan. Commissioners also approved $7,308.00 to Sunbelt Rentals for LED road signs used on flood-damaged roads and multiple professional-services invoices to Schaus Professional Services (listed invoices: $53,720.00; $1,920.00; $1,400.00).

Smaller, school-related approvals included purchase orders to Thompson & Litton Engineers for a partial roof replacement at Happy Valley High School ($27,500.00) and Happy Valley Middle School ($17,440.00). The board approved $75,907.74 to Carter County School Nutrition for meals provided to residents and first responders during Hurricane Helene relief (Oct. 2–22, 2024); that payment will be filed with FEMA under Category B for reimbursement per the minutes.

The agenda was amended at the start of the meeting to add a Roan Mountain/Hampton debris-site repair line item listed on the agenda at $246,712.00; later in the meeting the board approved an RFP award to Hampton Construction for the Roan Mountain debris-site restoration (the motion in the minutes does not restate an award amount). Motion makers and seconders are recorded in the minutes for each item; voice votes are noted as carried for each motion.

The board completed business and adjourned at 7:01 p.m. The meeting minutes provide the motions, mover and seconder for each approval and list the voice vote participants; the minutes do not include verbatim discussion text or the content of the EMA Director's update.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in meeting minutes): - Burleson Construction purchase order (Hampton High School restoration): motion carried; abstention recorded for Donnie Cable. - Carter County Landfill payment (debris disposal) $617,211.90: motion carried. - Landworx Construction monthly rentals (Poga #1 and Poga #2) $5,600 each: motions carried. - RK&K engineering invoices for Poga Bridges and Long Hollow Bridge (totaling $73,121.25): motions carried. - Schaus Professional Services invoices (totaling $56, (amounts listed individually in minutes)): motions carried. - Thompson & Litton Engineers purchase orders for Happy Valley High and Middle roof work ($27,500 and $17,440): motions carried. - Carter County School Nutrition payment $75,907.74 (FEMA CAT B filing): motion carried. - Hampton Construction RFP award for Roan Mountain debris site (agenda listed $246,712.00): motion carried.

What the minutes do not specify: the minutes note the disaster-recovery update by EMA Director Cathy Umrichin but provide no detail on the substance of that update; for several vendor invoices the minutes say a PO was previously approved but do not provide contract dates or full scopes inside these minutes. The board recorded motions, seconds and voice votes for each item. The meeting packet (invoices and proposals) included vendor invoices and proposals that provide further detail (e.g., Burleson Construction PO cap, Landworx rental terms, RK&K invoice breakdowns); those documents are referenced in the minutes but the minutes summarize approvals rather than full contract language.

The board is expected to proceed with the contracts and reimbursements as recorded; next procedural steps (contract execution, FEMA reimbursement processing, and construction scheduling) are governed by the vendor agreements and grant-reimbursement processes referenced in the packet and not specified further in the minutes.