Council received a presentation and first draft of the village’s Emergency Operations Plan prepared with assistance from Hamilton County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency staff.

Wesley DeGottridge, planning specialist with Hamilton County Emergency Management, and village staff described a tailored EOP for small jurisdictions that lists hazards (high winds, hazardous materials incidents, flash floods, winter storms, extreme heat/cold and railcar derailment), identifies CT Young as the primary shelter location and Whitewater Crossing Christian Church as a backup shelter, and recommends co-locating command at Miami Township Station 70 when incidents involve neighboring jurisdictions.

The draft assigns functional responsibilities to council members and staff (public safety, infrastructure, mass care, planning/logistics, communications and administration). Mayor Sammons and staff discussed inclusion of phone numbers, distribution lists and the practical steps for activation. The presenters emphasized the plan is a working document; they asked council to review and suggest edits and then sign the plan so it can be distributed to partner agencies including the school district, Miami Township fire/EMS and Hamilton County emergency management.

Wesley said the plan also includes ballpark cost estimates for recovery tasks so decision-makers can give quick order-of-magnitude damage estimates after an incident. Council asked that the draft be circulated and that minor tweaks be made at the next meeting; staff said they expected to distribute the plan to partners and return for final sign-off in the coming months.

No formal vote was taken; council agreed to review the draft and provide input before staff issues the plan to partner agencies.