Dunn County committee tables hazard mitigation plan update amid federal grant uncertainty

Dunn County’s Judicial and Law Committee paused work on an update to the county’s hazard mitigation plan on a motion to table that passed at its meeting, after hearing a presentation from Chris Strait of the Regional Planning Commission about the plan’s benefits, scope and uncertain grant funding.

The mitigation plan guides county strategies to reduce disaster risk and is a prerequisite for several federal and state grants. Strait told the committee that the plans "are intended to be updated every 5 years," and that the county’s update work is on hold until FEMA and Wisconsin Emergency Management clarify whether grant programs such as BRIC will proceed as previously announced.

The vote to table allows the committee more time to see whether previously approved federal funding remains available and whether the state will step in to support mitigation planning. The committee discussed four options: do nothing for now, have the county fund the update, pursue a hybrid model where county staff take on parts of the work, or have county staff complete…