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Avery County approves 180‑day extension for SDR, sets $20.3 million not‑to‑exceed cap
Summary
Avery County commissioners on March 24 approved a contract amendment extending Southern Disaster Recovery’s work period to July 31, 2025, and set a $20,298,834.98 not‑to‑exceed amount for immediate debris removal work; the board also approved a Debristech increase to a $2 million NTE and a 30‑day extension.
The Avery County Board of Commissioners on March 24 approved amending Southern Disaster Recovery’s (SDR) disaster‑debris contract to extend the work period by 180 days to July 31, 2025, and set a $20,298,834.98 not‑to‑exceed (NTE) amount for immediate work in the North Toe River basin.
Chip Patterson, president of Southern Disaster Recovery, told the board SDR needed the 180‑day amendment to cover all phases — right‑of‑way, waterway, private property debris removal and demolitions — and asked that the contract date be made consistent across documents. County Attorney Michaelle Poore said the contract date (recorded once as Oct. 3 and once as Oct. 4) must be verified before final execution.
“SDR’s contract be amended to allow a 180 day extension ending July 31, 2025,” Patterson said. The board voted to approve the amendment on a motion by Commissioner Wood Hall Young, Jr., seconded by Commissioner Dennis Aldridge; the motion passed unanimously of those voting and present (3‑0) with Commissioner Junior Benfield recused. The board authorized the chair or the assistant county manager to sign the amendment.
Commissioner Aldridge questioned whether the larger figure shown on the NTE worksheet ($23,550,581.40) covered all river basins and extension requests, and urged the board to approve funding in the order projects will be completed to maintain fiscal control. The board approved a reduced immediate NTE of $20,298,834.98 on a motion by Aldridge, seconded by Young; that motion also passed 3‑0 with Benfield recused.
Patterson also told the board that FEMA and the state’s environmental historic preservation (EHP) review had identified archaeological sensitivity at five sites — four on the Elk River and one on the Toe River — and that certified archaeological monitors would be required for those sites, with monitoring invoiced to the county as FEMA‑reimbursable pass‑through costs. Aldridge suggested the board take up monitor scopes and costs at the April 7 meeting to obtain more detailed estimates before approving site‑specific work.
Separately, Dennis Cruthirds of Debristech requested increasing that vendor’s NTE from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 and extending the contract by 30 days; the board approved the increase and extension on a motion by Young, seconded by Aldridge (3‑0, Benfield recused).
The actions taken on March 24 move the county forward on immediate debris‑removal work while leaving site‑specific archaeological scopes for later review; the contract amendment will be signed by the chair or assistant county manager as authorized.
