LaSalle County committee approves FEMA-funded contract to update natural hazards mitigation plan

The LaSalle County Land Use Committee voted unanimously March 4 to send a resolution to the full county board authorizing a contract with the North Central Illinois Council of Governments to update the county's Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan using FEMA hazard-mitigation funding.

Brian, the county staff member who presented the item, said the NCICG proposal totals $25,410 and that the county's share would be $6,352.50 while the FEMA grant would fund the remainder ($19,057.50). "The proposal from NCICG to update the plan is $25,410," Brian said, and he described outreach to incorporated communities in prior update cycles to help fund the match.

The plan update is required every five years to keep LaSalle County eligible for FEMA pre-disaster mitigation and other hazard-mitigation grant programs. Brian said the county has previously asked incorporated communities to contribute roughly $300 each to the match and that he would check records from the prior cycle to confirm how many communities participated.

Committee members asked whether the county budget already covers the match; Brian said he believed the budget contains some matching funds and would confirm details in time for the full board meeting. Several members said moving the grant and contract forward quickly made sense so communities could apply for mitigation funds as soon as the plan is updated.

The committee completed a roll-call vote on the resolution and approved it without opposition; the resolution authorizes the county chairman to execute the contract with NCICG and directs staff to forward the item to the full county board for final action.

The county will notify participating municipalities about the update and whether staff will request voluntary match contributions from incorporated communities. The full board is scheduled to consider the resolution at its next meeting.