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Commissioners approve contractor for Hamilton County multi-hazard mitigation plan, sign off on hazmat-exercise waiver
Summary
Hamilton County commissioners approved a $24,304 contract, funded by a BRIC grant, to update the county's federally required multi-hazard mitigation plan and signed a waiver so a hazmat exercise may be held at Regal Village Park on Aug. 27.
Hamilton County commissioners voted Aug. 25 to contract with an outside center to update the county's multi-hazard mitigation plan and approved a property waiver so emergency responders can run a planned hazardous-materials exercise at Regal Village Park.
The board approved a $24,304 contract with the IU Indianapolis Polis Center (referred to at the meeting as the contractor selected for FEMA-compliant mitigation plans). Hamilton County Emergency Management Director Ryan Hips told commissioners the cost will be covered by an existing BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) grant the board previously approved.
The mitigation plan is federally required, Hips said, and the county's current plan expires Dec. 16, 2025. He told the board the county is due for a five-year update and that the contractor will help collect data and create GIS mapping needed for FEMA compliance. The contract as drafted shows a 12-month timetable; Hips and commissioners said they expect to complete the work in closer to six months and asked staff to produce a contract amendment or revised agreement reflecting the shorter timeline.
Separately, Hips asked the board to approve a waiver and release to allow a hazmat-exercise location at Regal Village Park, 222 E. 140 Sixth St., Carmel. The board approved the waiver. Hips said the vendor running the training will name Hamilton County as an additional insured; the property owner who provided permission asked the county to sign a waiver holding them harmless, and Hips said the county would pursue any claims against the vendor rather than the property owner.
Commissioners asked whether existing county insurance covered the exercise; staff confirmed the county would be named as an additional insured by the training vendor and said the county's certificate of insurance was sufficient for the event.
The board's approval of the mitigation-plan contract was made subject to staff obtaining an amended agreement showing a shorter completion window. The motion carried.
The mitigation plan update and the exercise waiver were discussed during the Emergency Management agenda item and voted on in open session.
Meeting context: the board heard the Emergency Management items after governance and building-and-grounds presentations and before other county business.
