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Carter County commissioners approve more than $356,000 in Hurricane Helene recovery payments
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Summary
At a special called session Aug. 7, the Carter County Board approved a bundle of disaster-recovery payments tied to FEMA DR-4832, authorizing repairs, bridge rentals, engineering invoices and H&H studies while deferring one large invoice and failing a separate smaller payment.
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 invoices for Poga Road bridges and Long Hollow Bridge (Invoices 25020.000-5, 25021.000-5 and 25047.000-5) were approved, as were debris-monitoring fees to Thompson Consulting Services and rental and signage charges to Trilec Products and Sunbelt Rentals.
Commissioners also approved a set of invoices from ECE Services PLLC for H&H studies at multiple road sites damaged by Hurricane Helene; those payments were carried by 16–1 votes in each case, with Commissioner Danny Deal recorded as the lone “no.” One large Schaus Professional Services invoice for $64,221.08 was deferred back to the Budget Committee for further review, and a separate Schaus invoice for $5,523.80 failed on a 12–5 vote.
Votes at a glance: - Hinkle Environmental Services — $103,948.75; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Julie Guinn; result: approved (17–0). - Landworx Construction — Invoice 20250173 (Poga #1) $5,600.00; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Avery Wynn; approved (17–0). - Landworx Construction — Invoice 20250174 (Poga #2) $5,600.00; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Nancy Brown; approved (17–0). - Landworx Construction — Invoice 20250331 (Poga #1) $5,600.00; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Carole Whaley; approved (17–0). - Landworx Construction — Invoice 20250332 (Poga #2) $5,600.00; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Lesley Hughes; approved (17–0). - Schaus Professional Services — Invoice 70425 $64,221.08; status: deferred to Budget Committee for further discussion. - Schaus Professional Services — Invoice 70325 $5,523.80; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Keith Range; result: failed (12 yes, 5 no). - Trilec Products — Invoice 20335 $2,900.00; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Danny Deal; approved (17–0). - RK&K — Invoice 25020.000-5 (Poga #1 engineering) $9,320.00; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Lesley Hughes; approved (17–0). - RK&K — Invoice 25021.000-5 (Poga #2 engineering) $27,667.50; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Lesley Hughes; approved (17–0). - RK&K — Invoice 25047.000-5 (Long Hollow Bridge engineering) $23,987.50; mover: Robert Acuff; second: Avery Wynn; approved (17–0). - Thompson Consulting Services — Invoice 2411100501 $3,465.77 (debris monitoring); mover: Robert Acuff; second: Avery Wynn; approved (17–0). - Sunbelt Rentals — Invoice 162193666-0009 $913.50 (sign rentals); mover: Robert Acuff; second: Keith Range; approved (17–0). - Sunbelt Rentals — Invoice 162193666-00010 $4,872.00 (sign rentals); mover: Robert Acuff; second: Lesley Hughes; approved (17–0). - Your Public Adjuster — Invoice 1666 $4,062.50 (Carter County Schools claims); mover: Robert Acuff; second: Julie Guinn; approved (17–0). - Your Public Adjuster — Invoice 1717 $5,039.62 (Hampton High School claims); approved (17–0). - Your Public Adjuster — Invoice 1793 $4,422.39 (vehicles/equipment claims); approved (17–0). - Your Public Adjuster — Invoice 1667 $2,987.50 (estimates/inspections); mover: Robert Acuff; second: Julie Guinn; approved (17–0). - ECE Services PLLC — multiple H&H study invoices (Invoices 25642-2147, 25642-2148, 25642-2149, 25642-2150) $12,757.25 each for Sites G, H, I and J; each approved (16–1, No: Danny Deal). - ECE Services PLLC — multiple H&H study invoices (Invoices 25642A-2154 through 25642K-2160) $12,777.76 each for Sites A, B, C, D, E, F and K; each approved (16–1, No: Danny Deal).
Totals and next steps: The motions carried at the meeting release a combined $356,460.35 in local payments for disaster recovery work; the larger Schaus invoice of $64,221.08 will return to the Budget Committee for more discussion. Commissioners concluded the business portion of the special session and adjourned at 9:09 p.m.
Context: Many of the approved payments are tied to FEMA rapid-funded projects under declaration DR-4832 (Tropical Storm Helene). The ECE invoices are for hydrology/hydraulic (H&H) studies county staff said were required to document storm damage and support FEMA reimbursement requests. The one deferred Schaus item will return to the Budget Committee for further review before any county payment is authorized.