Clarke County Lifts Isaias Emergency in 12-Minute Meeting, Approves Culvert Bid and Wetlands Study

GROVE HILL, Ala. — The Clarke County Commission on Tuesday, Oct. 27, voted to end the local state of emergency it declared before Hurricane Isaias reached Alabama, closing out the county’s formal storm footing as state and federal officials weigh whether to send recovery money to Clarke and 22 other counties.

The action came during a brief meeting that lasted just 12 minutes. In that time, commissioners also approved a culvert supply bid, signed off on a wetlands study, heard a list of county job openings and paused to remember the family of the county engineer, whose parents’ home was destroyed by fire over the weekend.

Why the Clarke County Commission declared an emergency

Local emergency declarations are routine in Alabama when a hurricane or other major storm threatens. Counties make them ahead of time because such a declaration is required for a community to qualify for federal disaster assistance later. A declaration also gives local officials added flexibility to respond quickly, such as moving equipment and crews, purchasing supplies and coordinating with state agencies during the storm.

Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida, on the evening of Oct. 9 as a Category 2 hurricane and then pushed north into Alabama. The storm caused some damage in Clarke County, but the brunt of it fell on counties farther east, including Escambia, Monroe and Conecuh. With the immediate response over, commissioners voted to lift the local declaration.

Gov. Kay Ivey declared a statewide state of emergency for 40 Alabama counties on Oct. 7 as the hurricane approached. After the storm, she extended that declaration through Oct. 28 so recovery work and damage assessments could continue.

Clarke among 23 counties in disaster request

Clarke County Emergency Management Agency Director Roy Waite told commissioners that Ivey has asked President Donald Trump, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for a federal major disaster declaration covering 23 counties, Clarke among them.

If the request is approved, FEMA could help local governments cover eligible storm-related costs, such as debris removal, emergency protective measures and repairs to damaged public infrastructure like roads and buildings. Because Clarke saw less damage than counties to the east, its share of any aid would likely be modest, but inclusion in the request means the county could be reimbursed for qualifying expenses.

The governor also requested Individual Assistance, which helps residents directly with uninsured or underinsured needs such as temporary housing and essential home repairs, for Conecuh, Escambia and Monroe counties and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Clarke County was not among the areas initially put forward for that program.

The 23 counties in the request are Baldwin, Barbour, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lowndes, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Pike, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox.

“Assessments indicated this hurricane certainly caused significant damage across communities in parts of Alabama,” Ivey said in announcing the request. “We saw individual homes and public infrastructure impacted. Having support from FEMA is critical to states like Alabama and I am hopeful this request will be fulfilled so we can get Alabamians quickly back on their feet.”

Before the storm, the president approved a narrower federal emergency declaration for Baldwin, Escambia and Mobile counties and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Alabama’s congressional delegation, in a letter led by U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, has since urged Trump to approve the broader major disaster declaration without delay, saying the scale of recovery exceeds what some state and local governments can handle on their own. As of midweek, no decision had been announced.

Culvert bid and wetlands study approved

In other business, commissioners approved the lone bid received for culvert supplies, submitted by J&G Culverts. The bid had been opened at the commission’s previous meeting. Culverts are the pipes that carry water beneath roads and driveways, and keeping a supply on hand is a regular need for a rural county road department, particularly after heavy rain.

The commission also approved a $13,960 proposal from Goodwyn Mills and Cawood, an Alabama-based engineering and architecture firm, to conduct a wetlands study. Wetlands studies are commonly required before construction or road work near streams, swamps and other low-lying areas, because federal and state rules limit how wetlands can be disturbed.

County job openings

Personnel manager Angie Lewis reported several openings in county government. They include:

• Two operator III positions in the road and bridge department
• Two trainee positions in the mapping and appraisal department
• An administrative clerk position in the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office

Residents interested in the positions can contact the Clarke County Commission office in Grove Hill for application details.

Commission remembers engineer’s family

Commissioners also learned that the home of county engineer Lance Jordan’s parents was destroyed by fire over the weekend, and that his mother suffered extensive burns. The family was remembered during the opening prayer at the start of the meeting.

What comes next

FEMA will review the governor’s request and make a recommendation to the White House, where the president will make the final decision. There is no set deadline. If the declaration is approved, FEMA will announce which counties are designated and which programs each is eligible for, and the state could later ask to add counties or programs as assessments continue.

For Clarke County, any approved Public Assistance would flow through the county EMA and commission as reimbursement for documented storm work. Residents who had storm damage are encouraged to keep photos and receipts and to report damage to the Clarke County EMA so local records are complete.