Emergency Debris Removal To Begin Following Storm Fern
Winter Storm Fern brought widespread damage in north Mississippi.
Debris removal in the City of Water Valley is expected to begin soon following Winter Storm Fern, after the Water Valley Board of Aldermen on Thursday approved a series of emergency contracts designed to allow immediate cleanup while remaining in compliance with FEMA reimbursement rules.
The board met at 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, at Water Valley City Hall and approved emergency agreements covering debris removal, debris monitoring and FEMA public assistance consulting. All five aldermen — Joe Magnuson, Demetrius Ingram, Grant Thompson, Nicole Folson and Herbie Rogers — were present, along with Mayor Tommy Reynolds.
Also attending the meeting were Yalobusha County Supervisors Cayce Washington, Kenny Harmon and Eddie Harris.
Mayor Reynolds said the emergency action allows the city to move quickly to address storm debris while protecting the city’s eligibility for federal disaster reimbursement.
“We need to clean up as fast as possible, but we also have to do it the right way,” Reynolds said. “If we don’t follow FEMA rules, we risk not being reimbursed or having funds clawed back later.”
The rapid restoration of electric service across Water Valley following the storm now allows crews and contractors to transition immediately into the debris removal phase. With power expected to be completely restored in the coming days, attention can shift from emergency electrical repairs to clearing storm debris from streets and rights-of-way.
Under the approved plan, the city will hire ER Assist, a FEMA public assistance consulting firm to manage documentation and reimbursement requirements under a contract not to exceed $40,000. The board also approved an emergency debris removal contract with Looks Great Services of Mississippi, Inc., with a temporary spending cap of $500,000, and hired Debris Tech as the required third-party debris monitoring firm. Debris Tech’s compensation is percentage-based, tied to the overall cost of debris removal.
City officials said the three-part structure is required when outside contractors are used for debris removal under FEMA guidelines. The monitoring firm will document debris collection from pickup to disposal using GPS tracking, photographs and volume measurements to ensure all debris is properly recorded.
Although the contracts were approved on an emergency basis, officials stressed they are temporary. A formal request for proposals will be issued in February to meet FEMA procurement requirements while allowing debris removal to begin immediately.
Residents were urged during the meeting to focus now on staging storm debris properly.
City officials emphasized that contractors cannot enter private property. All debris must be placed curbside or as near to the public right-of-way as possible. A grapple truck will be used for collection, allowing crews to reach debris that is close enough to the street for the mechanical arm to retrieve it.
Large limbs and trees must be moved to the edge of the roadway by property owners or private contractors before they can be picked up. If the knuckleboom can reach the debris from the right-of-way, it can be collected.
Pickup schedules and additional instructions will be announced as soon as logistics are finalized.
Under FEMA’s Public Assistance program, eligible debris removal costs are typically reimbursed at 75 percent federal, with the remaining 25 percent split evenly between the state and local government. Officials noted that in-kind contributions, including volunteer labor and donated services, may be documented to help offset the city’s local share.
Speaking during Thursday’s meeting, Supervisor Cayce Washington said Yalobusha County plans to rely more heavily on local contractors for debris removal, citing familiarity with county roads and equipment already in place.
