Disaster Recovery Discussed

Panel Reviews Plans for Cleanup

Months before the peak of hurricane season for the East Coast, a Charleston County panel has chosen two contractors for disaster cleanup, and officials are expected to enter into a standby agreement with those companies in the next month or so, according to Steve Thigpen of Charleston County Public Works.

"Instead of trying to do this (process) in the middle of a disaster and no power, we do it before the storm hits so we are prepared," Thigpen said.

The panel included Charles Rhodes, disaster and emergency coordinator for the town of James Island, and Steve Robinson, public works director for the city of Folly Beach. Other members of the panel included representatives from Mount Pleasant, North Charleston and Charleston County.

"It's always helpful to rely on their technical expertise and get their input," Thigpen said.

The county asked for bids for two different types of work that would need to be done in the wake of a natural disaster. The first bid was for "cut-and-toss" work, which is immediate road clearing so emergency and disaster recovery vehicles could access affected areas, Thigpen said. The second bid was for debris removal.

The companies chosen by the panel will provide both cut-and-toss and debris-removal services, Thigpen said. The work will be done on an as-needed, standby basis. That is, they will get paid only if they are needed to do the work. Contracts are renewed every year for up to five years. The county received 12 bids for the cut-and-toss contract and eight bids for debris removal, he said. Several companies bid for both jobs.

It took about three weeks for the members of the panel to look over and independently evaluate each company that bid for the work.

"The forces we have internally wouldn't be able to open roads and remove debris, and we look for outside companies," Thigpen said.

Earlier this month, members of the committee compared notes on the companies that made bids and chose the ones they wanted to do the work. Thigpen declined to name the winning companies until the county sends out an official notice and the standby agreements are reached. County Council will approve entering into a financial agreement with a company if its services are needed, Thigpen said.

County Council's procurement department will review the committee's evaluations and company choices, Rhodes said.

"They're trying to line these people up," he said.

Rhodes updated James Island Town Council members about the committee's activities at the April 1 meeting.

"Road clearing was a big deal," he said.

Thigpen said the lowest bidders on the work were not necessarily the top choices.

"It's not solely on price; (it's) technical capabilities," he said.

Rhodes added, "It's (based on) technology, methodology, equipment and manpower."

He said he agreed to represent the town on this committee because of his experience as a former fire chief with the James Island Public Service District and during Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

"They called around looking for people who have a history with disaster, Hugo most notably," Rhodes said. "You know your area, you look for someone that can come in and keep roads cleared."

Robinson said it was important for municipalities to weigh in.

"The geography is different and the quantity and type of debris varies (from area to area)," he said.

For more information, visit www.charlestoncounty.org.

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