Title
RATIFICATION OF A DECLARATION OF AN EMERGENCY AND THE APPROVAL OF CONTRACT K-2021-71 BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AND THOMPSON CONSULTING SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $1,281,825 TO PROVIDE DISASTER DEBRIS MONITORING SERVICES FOR DAMAGES FROM THE ICE STORM ON OCTOBER 26, 2020, AND BUDGET TRANSFER AND APPROPRIATION.
Body
BACKGROUND: Natural disasters commonly occur in Oklahoma including wind storms, ice storms, flooding and tornados. Each event has its own unique debris removal and disposal requirements.
When faced with natural disasters, planning is the key to preparedness. A Debris Management Plan ensures a quicker and more thorough and calculated response to a disaster. It also establishes a strategic framework for providing debris removal assistance in support of a Presidential-declared emergency or major disaster and helps qualify a city for additional Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement funds, in some cases. This additional assistance is explained in sections 403 (Essential Assistance) and 407 (Debris Removal) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (hereafter, the Stafford Act), 42 U.S.C. 5121-5206, and implementing regulations at 44 CFR Part 206.
It became apparent after the December 2007 ice storm that the City of Norman should have a Debris Management Plan. Also, FEMA has a program to increase federal reimbursement from 75% to 80% for those governmental agencies that have an approved Debris Management Plan in place before a disaster strikes. The Debris Management Plan recommended that the City have a pre-positioned agreement with 3-5 debris removal companies. On January 28, 2020, City Council approved contract K-1920-105 for disaster clearance and removal services with TFR Enterprises, Inc. The plan also recommended, based on initial assessment and the magnitude of the storm damage, a monitoring firm be activated.
Between October 26 and October 29, 2020, the Ci...
Click here for full text