Agenda

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ARF- 280

Regular Agenda Item 3- H

Regular BOS Meeting

Meeting Date:	01/04/2011
Submitted For:	Matthew Bolinger, Epidemiologist/Emergency Mgt & Health Preparedness Div Dir
Submitted By:	Debra Williams, Emergency Management
Department:	Health & Emergency Management	Division:	Emergency Management
Fiscal Year:	2011 or after	Budgeted?:	No
Contract Dates Begin & End:	contract begins FEMA award letter date & ends 3 yrs after	Grant?:	Yes
Matching Requirement?:	Yes	Fund?:	New

Request/Subject

FEMA Mitigation Grant Application-January 2010 Buy-Out Project

Background Information

As a result of rain and flooding in January 2010, Presidential Disaster Declaration #1888 authorized the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) to be administered by the State of Arizona Division of Emergency Management. The HMGP provides federal funding for projects that will: 1. reduce the effects of natural hazards and/or vulnerabilities and, 2. meet State and Federal mitigation goals. Funding is provided to eligible applicants competitively with a cost share of 75%-Federal; 25% Applicant. Applicants may use soft, or in-kind, costs to meet the 25% match.

Evaluation

January 2010 winter storms resulted in severe flood damages for Gila County residents. Since the event, Emergency Management personnel have been in contact with at least 9 homeowners that specifically expressed interest in a property buy out program. As of December 15, 2010, four (4) homeowners have returned an original signed copy of the "Homeowner Interest Sign-up Sheet and Voluntary Notice" necessary to begin a FEMA HMGP application for acquisition of property for open-space purposes. The "Homeowner Interest Sign-up Sheet and Voluntary Notice" signifies a homeowners VOLUNTARY participation in the application process and is not an obligation on the homeowner or the county.

The intent of open-space acquisition from willing sellers is to maintain the property in perpetuity for uses compatible with open space, recreational, or wetlands management practices consistent with conservation of natural floodplain functions by recording deed restrictions consistent with the FEMA Model Deed Restriction. Therefore, acquisition of these four (4) properties will result in reduced and/or elimination of future flood risk to homeowner life and property, safety risk to emergency responders during flood events and reduced cost of community recovery.

Conclusion

The likelihood of future damage from flood events is rated by the location of a property in the flood zone. Three (3) out of four (4) properties are located in the AE zone-areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance flood event; one (1) property is in a location currently rated as D zone-undetermined but possible flood hazard. However, this property has a documented history of significant flooding at least twice in the past 7 years and is located adjacent to 3 properties that were acquired by Gila County after a 2003 monsoon event caused severe flood damage to a Roosevelt neighborhood.

The estimated total cost of this project is based on FEMA approval of four (4) property acquisitions and the estimated Current Market Value of acquisitions plus the estimated of site demolition, restoration and stabilization: $464,492.00 (75% Federal Share = $348369.00; County Share = $116,123.00).
Project funding is available from the date of a FEMA award letter. Projects must be completed within 3 years. Matching funds may not be expended prior to the date of a FEMA award letter.

Recommendation

The Director of Health and Emergency Services recommends that the Board of Supervisors authorize Emergency Management to submit an application for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding for FEMA Mitigation-January 2010 Buy-Out Project in the amount of $464,492. The mitigation grant will begin on the date of the FEMA award letter and end 3 years from that date.

Suggested Motion

Information/Discussion/Action to authorize the Gila County Emergency Management Department to submit a FEMA Mitigation-January 2010 Buy-Out Project Grant Application to the Arizona Division of Emergency Management for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds in the amount of $464,492. (Matthew Bolinger)

Attachments
Project Estimates
Project Solicitation
Grant Application for parcel 201-06-156F
Grant Application for parcel 204-03-051B
Grant Application for parcel 201-14-018D
Grant Application for parcel 201-10-090