Carter County commissioners approve more than $356,000 in Hurricane Helene recovery payments

Chair Ginger Holdren called the Carter County special called session to order at 7:36 p.m. on Aug. 7. The meeting, convened to act on disaster-recovery items forwarded from the Budget Committee after Hurricane Helene (FEMA DR-4832), produced approvals for a series of vendor invoices and engineering and study fees totaling $356,460.35.

Dr. Robert Acuff, committee chair and county commissioner, guided most of the motions approving payments for emergency repairs, bridge rentals, engineering and hydrology/hydraulic (H&H) studies. Commissioners voted unanimously on many vendor payments, including bridge rentals from Landworx Construction and engineering invoices from RK&K, and approved a sequence of H&H study invoices from ECE Services with one dissent.

Why it matters: The approvals release locally controlled funds and authorize payments tied to FEMA rapid-funded projects and other recovery work, clearing invoices so contractors and consultants can continue repairs, bridge rentals and technical studies needed to restore damaged roads and bridges.

The board approved a Hinkle Environmental Services quote for roadwork totaling $103,948.75 and multiple Landworx Construction monthly bridge-lease payments of $5,600.00 each for temporary bridges at Poga Road (Invoices 20250173, 20250174, 20250331 and 20250332). RK&K engineering…