Fayette County approves contract for future storm debris removal

Fayette County’s Board of Commissioners has approved a pre-positioned contract with a Florida firm to clear debris in the event of a major storm or other disaster in the county. The terms of the contract (approved as part of the June 24 meeting’s consent agenda) stipulate that negotiated expenses would not be incurred until or unless Ceres Environmental Services, Inc., of Sarasota, is notified of its activation. The firm would be responsible for clearing storm debris from roads and other rights-of-way within 70 hours of a natural or man-made disaster and hauling it to staging areas for disposal.

The contract was necessary because of Federal Emergency Management Agency provisions regarding reimbursable expenses to local governments. Fayette reviewed nine responses to its request for proposals for the service as part of a multi-jurisdiction evaluation committee that also included representatives from Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Tyrone. The current contract ends in June 2022 and has the option of being renewed for two 12-month terms.