The owners of Santee Modular Homes, Inc. in Orange County, South Carolina protested the county council’s decision to award a contract for debris removal to an out-of-state company instead of their firm, Santee Debris Removal. As part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) guidelines for disaster preparation, local jurisdictions must have arrangements made beforehand for clean-up, and Wayne Shuler and his son, Larry, of Santee said the contract should have been given to a local company. A division of Santee Modular, according to their website, MHProNews has learned Santee Debris has 20 years experience in post-disaster clean-up. County officials say the company’s proposal did not match the bid requirements set out by FEMA, and as Orangeburg County Attorney D’Anne Haydel says, “ FEMA will be the one reimbursing the county” in the event of a disaster. According to thetandd.com, the one-year contract went to Phillips & Jordan of Knoxville, Tennessee.

Photo credit: Santee Debris Removal, a division of Santee Modular Homes, Inc. of Orangeburg, SC )