Carter County commissioners approve disaster-recovery payments and award multiple road and bridge repair contracts

Chairwoman Kelly Collins presided over a special called Carter County Board of Commissioners meeting on Nov. 6 that approved a string of payments and contract awards tied to recent disaster recovery work.

The commission voted to approve multiple vendor payments and purchase orders recommended by the Budget Committee, including payments to Landworx Construction for temporary bridge rentals, engineering invoices from RK&K, and several large repair contracts. Commissioner Julie Guinn introduced most of the motions; the votes were recorded electronically and most measures passed unanimously or with the large majority noted in the minutes.

Why it matters: The decisions clear funding and contracts needed to repair roads and bridges damaged during the Helene flood and other storm events, advance FEMA-funded projects and allow contractors to begin work.

Major approvals and outcomes included: - A motion to pay Landworx Construction $5,600 for one temporary bridge (invoice 20250442) and a second $5,600 payment for a second temporary bridge (invoice 20250443); both motions passed with 17 yes votes. - A purchase order to Summers-Taylor for $1,134,200 for Poga–Elk Mills Road repairs was approved. The commission also approved two additional revised invoices to Summers-Taylor for Shell Creek Road repairs ($130,170.16 and $244,805.68). - The commission approved engineering payments to RK&K: $76,067.30 for Poga Bridge 1 design, $21,120.00 for Poga Bridge 2 design, and $61,058.75 for Long Hollow Bridge engineering. - Large contract awards were authorized and the Mayor was authorized to sign: Hampton Creek Road Repairs to Summers-Taylor ($905,850.00); Heaton Creek Road Repairs to Summers-Taylor ($664,920.00); Laurel Highlands Road Repairs to Bakers Construction Services ($730,660.00); Long Hollow Bridge over the Doe River to Bakers Construction Services ($819,853.40; one abstention recorded); and Perkins Hollow Road Repairs to Beam Construction ($142,054.00).

One vote failed: Commissioners rejected a $46,905.62 check request and payment to Schaus Professional Services (invoice 101025). The roll shows 6 yes and 11 no; the motion failed. A separate check request to Schaus for $1,200 (invoice 101125) was recorded in the minutes but the transcript does not include a vote tally for that item (not specified in the record).

Contract and account clarifications: The commission approved a check request related to Hinkle Environmental Services (invoice 30399). The minutes note the check request amount of $12,332.73 and also reference a larger invoice amount in county records ($312,070.48) and an existing PO for $299,737.75; the commission vote included a notation to apply the correct chart/account number.

Procurement procedure change: Highway Superintendent Shannon Burchett told commissioners the current process delays award notices by about a month because final contract awards must wait for full-commission action. "The bids are put out and then it is a month before companies find out if they have won the bid because it must go before the full commission," Burchett said, arguing the prior (faster) procedure moved work forward more quickly. Commissioners voted 16–1 (Nick Holder opposed) to allow departments, with finance, to use the prior procedure to award certain bids without waiting for full-commission action.

Next steps: Several motions authorized the Mayor to sign contracts so work can proceed; the minutes record that most payments and awards were carried by electronic vote and contractors will proceed per their awarded scopes. The meeting adjourned at 8:01 PM.

Notes on sources: All specifics, amounts and vote tallies are taken from the meeting transcript and appended vendor/invoice documents in the record. Items without a recorded vote tally are identified as "not specified."