Avery County approves SDR contract price adjustments, fee schedule and not-to-exceed amounts

Avery County commissioners on Feb. 10, 2025 approved two amendments to the state disaster-debris contract with SDR and set two not-to-exceed (NTE) spending limits while flagging ongoing uncertainty about federal eligibility for some work.

At a special meeting at the Avery Community Center, the Board voted 4-0 (Junior Benfield was recused) to adopt Amendment #001, a price-only adjustment to the statewide SDR contract intended to reflect post–Hurricane Helene regional resource and pricing changes, and Amendment #002, which establishes an optional county-level fee schedule for items such as sand and silt removal, demolition rates, Sennebogen tree-handler day rates and production of double-ground mulch.

Chip Patterson, president of SDR, told commissioners the state had worked "for a number of months" to evaluate prices and availability across the Southeast and that Amendment #001 responds to those market pressures. "This is a change to the state contract and adding it to the relationship with SDR," Patterson said, describing Amendment #002 as a list counties can check off for applicability.

Randy Thompson of SDR described Amendment #001 as a reallocation of price ranges "to pull in additional resources" so local contractors can compete with adjoining states and Corps of Engineers work. He said the majority of the spending would flow to the local economy. James Fox of FEMA provided a verbal assessment that the proposed prices "look good," though the County had not received a written FEMA letter at the meeting.

Board members pressed for clarity about the scope of eligible waterway work and monitoring. Vice-Chair Dennis Aldridge said the county had been seeking guidance for months and cautioned, "I am reluctant to move forward with lack of clarity," citing concern the county might undertake work that would later be ineligible for federal reimbursement. Patterson said interpretations vary and "it is a work in progress" with state officials, FEMA, the contractor and debris monitors.

The Board also approved NTE amounts to guide county oversight: $2,235,000 for right-of-way debris removal and $1,968,826 for the first phase of waterway debris removal. Both motions passed unanimously among voting members (4-0, Benfield recused). Motions were made and seconded on the record and the clerk attested the votes.

Commissioners indicated that approvals were based on estimates and that SDR would return to the Board if operations appeared likely to exceed the NTE. "If you happen to exceed the not to exceed amount, SDR will come back to the county and ask what course of action the county will want to proceed with," Patterson said.

The Board also discussed—but did not decide—details about private-property debris removal and next steps pending additional federal guidance. The meeting adjourned at 3:09 p.m.