Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	Dave Corliss, City Manager
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Casey Toomay, Chuck Soules, Matt Bond, Ernie Shaw, Crystal Miles, Scott McCullough, Amy Miller, Mark Bradford, Tarik Khatib
FROM:	Brandon McGuire, Assistant to the City Manager
DATE:	November 6, 2014
RE:	Resolution 7098, Adopting the Northeast Kansas Multi-Jurisdictional, All-Hazard Mitigation Plan

Background

City departments work with Douglas County Emergency Management to develop and update hazard mitigation and response plans that addresses hazards to jurisdictions within Douglas County.  Douglas County recently finished a 5-year update of its Emergency Operations Plan, and the City Commission adopted that plan on August 5, 2014 with the adoption of Resolution 7082.  Similar to the Emergency Operations Plan, Douglas County coordinates the City of Lawrence’s participation in the northeast Kansas Multi-Jurisdictional, All-Hazard Mitigation Plan.  The plan is required to be updated every 5 years, and the last update was completed in 2009.  Lawrence and Douglas County are part of Homeland Security Region K, which includes Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Douglas, Jackson, Jefferson, Marshall, Nemaha, and Washington counties, as well as the cities and towns located within these counties and the Kickapoo Tribe located in Brown County.  The plan was prepared to meet the requirements of the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000.  In order for the plan to be accepted, each jurisdiction in the planning region must officially adopt the plan.

The plan identifies strategies and projects intended to mitigate the impact of disasters on property and people.  The City’s projects are listed in the attached table.  The City Commission’s adoption of the plan does not commit the City to complete the projects, but the projects must be included in the plan in order to be eligible for mitigation grant funding.  Adoption of the Multi-Jurisdictional All-Hazard Mitigation Plan makes Douglas County jurisdictions eligible for competitive pre-disaster hazard mitigation grant funding and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance, and results in reduced flood insurance premiums.

Recommendation

Official adoption of the plan by each participating jurisdiction is required in order for the plan to be accepted.  Douglas County has asked each jurisdiction within the county to officially adopt the plan by adopting Resolution 7098.  City staff worked with Douglas County Emergency Management and the regional planning team to update the plan.  Staff involved in the planning process has reviewed the City’s project list and recommends adoption of the plan.        

Action

Adopt Resolution 7098, adopting the Douglas County, Kansas Multi-Jurisdictional All-Hazard Mitigation Plan.