Carter County commissioners approve more than $5.5 million in disaster-recovery contracts and invoices

The Carter County Board of Commissioners on June 5 approved a series of motions authorizing payments and contracts tied to the county’s ongoing disaster response and recovery for DR-4832.

The board unanimously approved a $2,273,482.50 contract with Summers & Taylor Inc. to repair Shell Creek Road and multiple associated measures, and separately approved estimated resurfacing contracts with Summers-Taylor for Shell Creek, Heaton Creek and Hampton Creek totaling more than $1.8 million in construction work. Commissioners also approved contracts to stabilize streambanks through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), engineering invoices for three bridge projects, and a set of smaller operational and professional services payments.

Why it matters: The votes advance repair work and professional services financed in part through FEMA rapid funding and related emergency lines established after severe flooding tied to Hurricane Helene. The approved work includes temporary bridge rentals, geotechnical testing, engineering design invoices and major road-repair contracts that the county has described as necessary to restore access and repair slope failures.

Key approvals and funding actions • Addendum 001 (RK&K) — Approved to add Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) geophysical testing at Poga Bridge #2 for $35,000 to map subsurface conditions near Abutment No. 1. Motion: Robert Acuff; second: Aaron Frazier. Vote: 17–0. • Temporary bridge rentals (Landworx) — Monthly lease payments of $5,600 each for Poga Bridge #1 and Poga Bridge #2 (two separate motions). Motions: Robert Acuff; second: Aaron Frazier. Votes: both 17–0. • Engineering invoices (RK&K) — Approved payments to Rummel, Klepper & Kahl for engineering work on Poga Bridge #1 ($40,033.75), Poga Bridge #2 ($54,612.42), and Long Hollow Bridge ($55,998.00). Motions: Robert Acuff and Carol Whaley; seconders varied. Votes: all 17–0. • Major road contracts (Summers & Taylor / Summers-Taylor Inc.) — Approved: Shell Creek Road repairs (contract estimate $2,273,482.50), and separate resurfacing estimates of $634,179.00 (Shell Creek), $524,216.00 (Heaton Creek), and $714,067.20 (Hampton Creek). Motion(s): Robert Acuff; second(s) varied. Votes: all 17–0. • Streambank stabilization (NRCS) — Approved two NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection contracts: Group 3 (Shell Creek) estimated at $711,940.00 and Group 1 estimated at $275,750.00. Motion(s): Robert Acuff; seconder(s) varied. Votes: both 17–0. NRCS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture agency that administers Emergency Watershed Protection (NRCS acronym and program noted in meeting materials). • School reroof purchase orders (Davis Brothers Roofing) — Approved PO for Happy Valley High School gymnasium wing $333,400 and Happy Valley Middle School gymnasium wing $216,200 to be paid from the Helene Emergency line. Motion(s): Robert Acuff; second: Lesley Hughes. Votes: both 17–0. • Professional services and incidentals — Approved multiple invoices and check requests, including Schaus Professional Services (three invoices totaling $60,321.36 across motions; two motions had dissenting votes), Thompson Consulting ($48,264.98 paid from the HEAL Loan for debris monitoring), United Rentals ($115 for portable restrooms), Sunbelt ($7,308 for LED road signs) and Thompson & Litton ($2,600). Several small professional-service payments were approved with recorded roll-call votes; two Schaus invoices drew no votes from one or two commissioners as recorded in the minutes.

Votes at a glance (selected items) — all motions carried • Agenda approval: 17–0 • RK&K Addendum 001 (ERT testing): 17–0 • Landworx Poga Bridge rentals (each): 17–0 • Schaus Invoice 50225 ($2,275): 16–1 (No: Gary Kemp) • Schaus Invoice 50325 ($3,000): 15–2 (No: Danny Deal; Gary Kemp) • Schaus Invoice 50125 ($55,046.36): 15–2 (No: Danny Deal; Gary Kemp) • RK&K invoices (Poga #1, Poga #2, Long Hollow): 17–0 each • Summers & Taylor Shell Creek repair contract (est. $2,273,482.50): 17–0 • NRCS Group 3 streambank stabilization (est. $711,940): 17–0 • Davis Brothers (Happy Valley HS PO $333,400; Middle School PO $216,200): 17–0 each

What commissioners said and next steps Commissioners moved the items forwarded by the Budget Committee and used roll-call electronic voting for each motion. The actions authorized county staff to proceed with executing contracts and issuing payments as approved; several contract documents and invoice backups were included in the meeting packet. The meeting minutes record that the funding for some items will come from FEMA rapid-funded projects and the county’s Helene emergency expense lines or HEAL loan as noted in each motion.

The board adjourned at 7:35 p.m. after final commissioner comments. Operational next steps indicated in the meeting materials are contract execution and continued coordination with FEMA, NRCS and engineering firms for project delivery.