Abbeville Council lines up hurricane season contracts

Hurricane season officially began on June 1 and the peak remains months away.
Still, preparation for government entities begins well before the time a storm would likely hit. The Abbeville City Council took one such step Tuesday during its regular meeting.
The council voted to sign contracts that will allow private businesses to perform emergency debris removal, as well as professional services related to natural disasters.
“Every year at this time we renew the contracts for the debris removal in case you do absolutely need it,” City Engineer Richard Primeaux told the council. “It is part of your debris management plan that you submitted to GOHSEP (Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness).
“It is for the right-of-ways within the city limits of Abbeville and is only for natural disasters.”
Primeaux said there are things that must occur prior to the contracts going into effect.
“They have to be pre-approved, like we are going to do tonight,” Primeaux said. “They have to be put into a declaration by the (mayor) and is used only during an emergency period, which is generally the 72-hour period right after a storm has passed through.”
Primeaux said the city looks for contractors who fit certain criteria. Three that do (fit the criteria) are part of the contracts approved Tuesday. Those companies are Vermilion Shell & Limestone, Acadiana Shell & Limestone and Glenn Lege Construction, Inc.
“They are prepared to sign this contract as soon as we approve everything,” Primeaux said. “If we get any other contractors who fit the bill, we can add them as long as it is prior to a natural disaster.
Experts have called for an average hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is expecting eight to 13 named storms (tropical storm or higher), three to six hurricanes, and only one to two major hurricanes (described as category three or higher).
“Hopefully we don’t have to use these contracts,” Primeaux said.