SECTION 3 PLANNING PROCESS

Transcription

1 Multi-Jurisdictional Planning Participation SECTION 3 PLANNING PROCESS Requirement 201.6(a)(3) Multi-Jurisdictional plans (e.g., watershed plans) may be accepted, as appropriate, as long as each jurisdiction has participated in the process...statewide plans will not be accepted as multi-jurisdictional plans. The Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan update was a multi-jurisdictional collaborative effort. The Hazard Mitigation Planning Steering Committee sought participants through town mailings, postings on the Aroostook County EMA website, s, phone calls and newspaper announcements. Participants discussed county wide and town specific hazards and the probability and vulnerability of certain hazards. Groups also reviewed mitigation projects from the 2005 & 2007 plans, new projects that have been added for the 2010 plan, and discussed any additional projects that were not already identified. Additional participation was encouraged through phone and correspondence for any recommendations/comments. The Steering Committee provided expertise, data and assistance in preparing the plan; the following served on the Committee. The Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee consisted of the following representatives: Elizabeth Barton Vernon Ouellette Joyce Findlen JoAnn Mooney Michelle Cyr Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Director, AroostookCounty Emergency Management Agency (AKEMA) Planner, Aroostook County EMA Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Planner, Aroostook County EMA The Municipal Hazard Mitigation Planning Team consisted of the following: Name Municipal Position Municipality Dave Potter Contractor Allagash, Town of Jim Gardner Town Manager Ashland, Town of Delmar Clark EMA Director Blaine, Town of Amanda Dow Town Manager Bridgewater, Town of Roy Woods EMA Director, Fire Chief Caribou, City of Dave Ouellette Public Works Director Caribou, City of Martin Pucket Town Manager Castle Hill, Town of Scott St. Pierre EMA Director Caswell, Town of Martin Pucket Town Manager Chapman, Town of Daniel Deveau Selectperson Cyr Plantation James Nadeau Town Manager Eagle Lake, Town of John Hangen Town Manager Easton, Town of Daniel Foster Town Manager Fort Fairfield, Town of John Bannen Economic Development Fort Kent, Town of James Caron Public Works Frenchville, Town of John Orcutt Town Manager Garfield, Town of Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Sept

2 Name Municipal Position Municipality Vernon Ouellette EMA Director Grand Isle, Town of Rudolph Parent EMA Director Hamlin, Town of Norma Malone Town Manager Haynesville, Town of James Griffin EMA Director Hodgdon, Town of Doug Hazlett Town Manager Houlton, Town of Joe Clark Town Manager Island Falls, Town of Donna Bernier Town Manager Limestone, Town of Courtney Toby Town Manager Littleton, Town of Neal Haines Facility Manager Loring Commerce Center Yves Lizotte Public Works Madawaska, Town of Christine Therrien Town Manager Madawaska, Town of Martin Pucket Town Manager Mapleton, Town of Brenda Commander Tribal Chief Maliseets, Houlton Band of Raymond Town Manager Mars Hill, Town of Mersereau Candis Nevers Town Manager Merrill, Town of Victoria Higgins Tribal Chief Micmac Tribe Ginger Pryor Town Manager Monticello, Town of Charles Newsome Selectmen New Sweden, Town of Steve Sherman EMA Director Oxbow, Town of Ray Wood Selectperson Perham, Town of Dave Potter Contractor Portage Lake, Town of Darrell White EMA Director, Fire Chief Presque Isle, City of Mitch Lansky EMA Director Reed Plantation Ryan Pelletier Town Manager St. Agatha, Town of Dave Potter Contractor St. Francis, Town of Patrick Nadeau EMA Director St. John, Town of Candis Nevers Town Manager Smyrna, Town of Jeff Page Fire Chief Stockholm, Town of Paul Bernier Public Works Director Unorganized Territories Nancy Troeger Acting Town Manager Van Buren, Town of George Howe EMA Director Wade, Town of Jim Gagnon Town Manager Wallagrass, Town of Beverly Turner Town Manager Washburn, Town of Carolee Hallett Town Manger Westfield, Town of Margaret Frye Town Manager Weston, Town of Kevin Drake EMA Director Winterville Plantation Carl Grant Town Clerk Woodland, Town of Mitch Lansky EMA Director Wytopitlock, Town of Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Sept

3 SUMMARY OF LOCAL PARTICIPATION Project updates Letter Oct. 09 Plan Meetings Phone Mailings Kick-Off Municipality Meetings Allagash X 2/11/10 X X X Ashland X X X X Blaine X X X Bridgewater X X X X Caribou X 1/21/10 5/20/10 X X X Cary Plt. X Castle Hill X 2/25/10 X X X Caswell X 2/25/10 X X X Cyr Plantation X X X X Dyer Brook X 2/25/10 X Eagle Lake X 2/11/10 X X X Easton X X X X Fort Fairfield X X X X Fort Kent X 2/11/10 5/20/10 X X X Frenchville X 2/11/10 5/20/10 X X X Grand Isle X 2/11/10 X X X Haynesville X X X X Hodgdon X 2/25/10 X X X Houlton X 2/25/10 5/21/10 X X X Island Falls X 2/25/10 X X X Limestone X X X X Littleton X X X X Macwahoc Plt. X Madawaska X 2/11/10 X X X Maliseets, Houlton Band X X Mapleton X 2/25/10 X X X Mars Hill X X X X Masardis X Monticello X 5/21/10 X X X New Canada X Oakfield X Oxbow Plt. X X X X Final Project Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Sept

4 Project Updates letter Oct. 09 Plan Meetings Phone Mailings Municipality Kick-Off Meetings Perham X 1/21/10 X X X Portage Lake X 2/11/10 X X X Presque Isle X 5/20/10 X X X St. Agatha X 2/11/10 X X X Stockholm X 1/21/10 X X Unorganized Territories X 1/21/10 5/20/10 X X X Van Buren X 1/21/10 X X X Wade X 1/21/10 X X X Wallagrass X 2/11/10 5/20/10 X X X Washburn X 1/21/10 5/20/10 X X X Westfield X X X X Weston X X X X Winterville Plt. X 2/11/10 5/20/10 X X X Woodland X X X X Final Project Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Sept

5 Documentation of the Planning Process To update the Hazard Mitigation Plan, groups reviewed and analyzed hazards and assessed risks. The 2005 and 2007 Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan was referenced and hazard mitigation projects were reviewed and updated and new projects were added accordingly. also included reference to the 2007 State of Maine Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan was updated by participants at all levels of government from the federal to the local level. As part of the joint field office efforts during disaster 1852, FEMA representatives of the Region 1 field office met separately with towns over the summer to determine and prioritize mitigation projects. A Hazard Mitigation Planning Steering Committee was established to plan for meetings in the fall to discuss hazards and mitigation projects. Information about the planning process was included in the Aroostook County EMA website, newspaper announcements, and municipal mailings (see Appendix A for mailing, etc.). Aroostook County EMA continued to solicit input of the mitigation plan to each community. Requirement 201.6(b): In order to develop a more comprehensive approach to reducing the effects of natural disasters, the planning process shall include: (1) An opportunity for the public to comment on the plan during the drafting stage and prior to plan approval; (2) An opportunity for neighboring communities, local and regional agencies involved in hazard mitigation activities, and agencies that have the authority to regulate development, as well as businesses, academia and other private and non-profit interests to be involved in the planning process; and (3) and incorporation, if appropriate, of existing plans, studies, reports, and technical information. Requirement 201.6(c)(1): The plan shall document the planning process used to develop the plan, including how it was prepared, who was involved in the process, and how the public was involved. Pre-Kickoff Meeting-November 17, 2009: A pre-kickoff meeting was held in November between MEMA and Aroostook County EMA. The group discussed needed updates to the current county plan. Aroostook County EMA planned on ing towns about upcoming kickoff meetings and writing a letter to towns discussing hazards, FEMA Disaster Assistance Employees (DAE) group work, basic information, and losses. Kick-off Meetings-January 21 st, February 11 th, and February 25 th, 2010 (Refer to Appendix A for letter, sign-in sheets and meeting minutes): Aroostook County EMA posted information in the Aroostook Republican, Houlton Pioneer Times and the St. John Valley Times regarding upcoming Kick-off Meetings as well as sent mailings and s to communities. Letters were mailed to towns explaining that the Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan was being updated and further explained the process. The letter also listed current mitigation projects for each community and asked each community to review and verify if there were any changes, additions or completed projects. Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Sept

6 The meetings were held in Northern, Central, and Southern locations; the first at the Caribou Courthouse, the second at the Fort Kent Town Office, and the Houlton Fire Department. Towns had the option of selecting any of the three locations to attend. Conclusions: 1. Aroostook County EMA Director began the meetings with a PowerPoint outlining: a. Plan update timeframe/activities b. Discussing the need for the county/towns to update the current Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan every five years to remain eligible for grant assistance. c. The necessary steps for individual towns in reviewing hazards and identifying mitigation projects. d. Success stories around the county e. Hazards classification and identification f. Past hazard related planning per town g. Project eligibility h. New projects 2. The meeting emphasized that towns need to determine which projects have been completed, those that need to be revisited, and those which are new. 3. Towns were told future meetings would assess hazards and review old and new mitigation projects. HANDOUTS INCLUDED: 1. PowerPoint presentation 2. Identifying Hazards and Assessing Vulnerability 3. Table relating to Past Hazard Planning 4. Draft of Mitigation Projects for Aroostook County MEETINGS ATTENDEES TOWNS January 21, 2010 (Caribou Courthouse) 14 Caribou, Loring, New Sweden, Perham, Garfield Plt., Van Buren, Presque Isle, Wade, Washburn, Unorganized Ter. February 11, 2010 (Fort Kent Town Office) 14 Fort Kent, Allagash, Portage, Wallagrass, Grand Isle, Caribou, Eagle Lake, Madawaska, Winterville Plt. February 25, 2010 (Houlton Fire Department) 9 Crystal, Dyer Brook, Houlton, Hodgdon, Island Falls, Caswell, Mapleton, Chapman, Castle Hill Module One & Two Workshops May 20 & 21, 2010 (Refer to Appendix A for letter, sign-in sheets and meeting minutes): Workshops announcements were mailed and ed to each community. Workshops ATTENDEES TOWNS May 20, 2010 (Caribou Courthouse) 11 MEMA, Winterville Plt., Fort Kent, Washburn, Wallagrass, Frenchville, Unorganized Territories, Presque Isle, Caribou May 21, 2010 (Houlton Town Office) 6 MEMA, Houlton, Monticello, Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Sept

7 Because of large distances between communities in Aroostook County, and mail was used most of the time as well as our website (see Appendix) to get information to and from communities. A draft of the updated Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan was distributed among the planning groups and key organization representatives for review. ers of the Plan were encouraged to offer any comments or suggestions. The final draft was sent to MEMA for additional comments and suggestions prior to being sent to FEMA for final approval. Aroostook County Hazard Mitigation Plan Draft Sept