Trustees discuss reestablishing joint Village‑Town Emergency Government Committee

Trustee Paula Severson asked the Village Board to consider reestablishing a joint Village‑Town Emergency Government Committee that previously met monthly and included representatives from the town, Cottage Grove Fire, Police, EMS and the Monona Grove School District.

Severson said the committee’s prior work focused on the emergency operations plan, regular tabletop exercises and “plan, prepare, and practice” activities; she said coordinated planning benefits both municipalities and can open the door to joint training and grant opportunities. "We did plan, prepare, and practice," Severson said of prior committee activity.

Trustee Heidi and other board members noted the village needs an adopted emergency response plan that aligns with state guidance; Heidi said earlier work resulted in the village developing and adopting its own plan after the joint committee effort lapsed. Trustees discussed several next steps including having village emergency management staff present the current plan and responsibilities and seeking town interest in reestablishing a multi‑jurisdictional committee.

Action taken: No formal resolution or ordinance change was adopted. Trustees asked staff to schedule a future agenda item for staff to present the village’s emergency plan, current roles and responsibilities, and options for reestablishing a joint committee; the board indicated support for further discussion and coordination with the town and emergency services providers.

Next steps: Staff will invite the village emergency director / lieutenant to present the department’s roles and the adopted plan at a future meeting so the board can consider how a joint committee might operate and what ordinance changes (if any) would be required to reestablish the committee.