Diversion Authority approves cash-budget amendment and task order to accelerate FEMA mapping

The Metro Flood Diversion Authority on March 27 approved a cash-budget amendment and a task order to accelerate FEMA flood-map work, a move board members said will bring federal map revisions forward in the program schedule.

The motion approved items 11B-1 and 11B-2, which the board described as a cash-budget amendment and a task order for the Houston Moore Group to support FEMA map revision and related modeling work. Mayor Dardis told the board that moving the FEMA work earlier is “a very positive step” as the diversion project nears completion.

The board’s finance report during the meeting showed $1,344,567 in bills presented for payment and a net cash position of $330,992,481. The finance committee also noted a sales-tax update for 2024: $23,304,035 designated sales tax for Cass County and $69,824,744 for the City of Fargo, approximately $93 million combined.

Greg Thielman, president and CEO of Houston Engineering and representing Houston Moore Group, outlined the firm’s long involvement in the project and introduced team members who will support the mapping and model review work. Thielman said his teams have been part of the region’s remapping work for decades and that the firm’s local experience should help expedite the FEMA coordination and map revision process.

Mayor Dardis said the board’s action will require an amendment to the 2025 cash budget; the board was told that if the motion passed, the 2025 cash budget will increase by $22,000,000. The packet presented earlier also included a $2,000,000 cash-budget change request tied to FEMA mapping and a related Houston Moore Group task order; the board approved the package as presented.

The motion passed on a roll call with all members voting in the affirmative.