Dunn County begins fast-tracked update of county hazard mitigation plan

Dunn County emergency managers and regional planners met by videoconference on a steering committee Thursday to begin updating the county’s federally recognized hazard mitigation plan and to map outreach and data-collection steps needed to complete a draft by December.

The meeting opened at 8:30 a.m. with Jason Spetz, who said, “And we're here for our first steering committee for the hazard mitigation plan update for Dunn County,” and set the steering committee’s immediate tasks: stakeholder interviews, town and school surveys, and a short homework survey for committee members to rank hazards.

The plan update is required to access several federal and state mitigation grant programs. Chris, a regional planner with the regional planning commission, summarized why the county updates the plan every five years and walked the group through FEMA planning guidance, recent changes to that guidance and the grant programs tied to an approved mitigation plan. He told the committee the county’s current plan expires Oct. 26, 2025, and that the consultants and county staff intend to “fast track this” year’s update so cities, villages and schools can pursue mitigation funding.

Why it matters: an up-to-date, FEMA‑approved mitigation plan is a prerequisite for several mitigation grants — including BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities), FMA (Flood Mitigation Assistance) and HMGP…