County approves shelter agreement, seeks FEMA mitigation funds and narrows plan for deteriorating bridge

Geary County staff updated the commission on emergency planning, mitigation funding opportunities and a deteriorating county bridge during the May 5 meeting.

Emergency shelter agreement: Public-works and emergency management staff presented a letter of agreement allowing the 4-H senior citizen center to be used as an emergency shelter if county-owned buildings become unusable in an emergency. Commissioners agreed to sign the letter and place a copy on file at the county and the facility. Staff said the arrangement is intended to improve accountability for building use during incidents and to provide a pre-identified shelter location.

FEMA hazard-mitigation funding: Staff reported the county received notice of available mitigation funding tied to a disaster declaration (disaster number referenced in staff remarks) and indicated approximately $350,000 in federal hazard-mitigation dollars could be available, requiring a 25% local match. Staff said the state set a short submission window and asked county departments and municipal partners to identify candidate projects; the county manager and city staff were engaged to identify potential projects for the Friday submittal deadline.

West Lias Creek bridge: Public-works staff and consultants (HNTB noted as project engineer working with KDOT) reported severe section loss on multiple beams of the West Lias Creek bridge. Staff recommended narrowing the structure to a single lane with delineation and signage to reduce load on outer beams while the county plans a more permanent replacement. The bridge was listed in prior inspections as a candidate for replacement in the next five years; staff recommended a 20-foot reinforced concrete box culvert as a likely replacement and said that because of the bridge’s small size it may be more practical for the county to fund replacement without pursuing KDOT bridge program funds.

FEMA site inspection and repairs: Staff said a site inspection with FEMA and state personnel is scheduled for May 14 to inspect culvert damage on Kansas Falls Road tied to a 2024 flooding event; the county seeks a more permanent repair than repeated temporary fixes.

Ending: Commissioners directed staff to proceed with the shelter agreement filing, to coordinate potential mitigation projects with municipal partners for the state deadline, and to implement short-term traffic narrowing and signing on the West Lias Creek bridge while planning for replacement.