Marion hears Linn County hazard‑mitigation update as jurisdictions move toward adoption

Megan Prestigard, of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG), told the Marion City Council on March 18 that the Linn County Multi‑Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan update (2025–2030) identifies hazards, vulnerabilities and actions designed to reduce loss of life and property and preserve eligibility for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants.

“The primary purpose of a Hazard Mitigation Plan is to identify hazards that impact a community and actions that minimize the negative impacts,” Prestigard said. The plan updates include a countywide risk assessment, inventories of critical facilities such as health‑care locations and a review of vulnerable populations including long‑term care residents.

Prestigard said 30 jurisdictions participated in the update (the county, 18 cities and 11 school districts), with 35 planning meetings held between June and October 2024. ECICOG submitted a draft to Iowa Homeland Security in January, followed by a two‑week public comment period; Iowa Homeland Security required minor clarity edits and has re‑approved the revisions. The plan is now under FEMA review, Prestigard said.

Council members asked about timing: Iowa Homeland Security’s stated turnaround is generally about 45 days, but Prestigard cautioned final review times are outside local control once FEMA receives the plan. She explained the current process asks each participating jurisdiction to adopt the plan by resolution while FEMA reviews it concurrently; jurisdictions typically do not need to re‑adopt unless FEMA requires material changes.

Marion staff and the fire chief discussed how the plan’s mitigation strategies align with the city’s capital improvement plan and operational priorities. Examples cited by staff include generator projects at public facilities (the library generator already funded; a city‑hall generator in the coming fiscal year) and an existing grant application for an updated generator at Fire Station 3. Stormwater and park facility projects identified in the plan will be considered for future CIP programming or studies, staff said.

ECICOG is assisting participating jurisdictions with the adoption process. Prestigard said each jurisdiction must adopt the plan by resolution and ECICOG will consolidate and submit those resolutions to the state for final submittal to FEMA.

What’s next: Marion is expected to consider a resolution to adopt the county plan as part of the coordinated submittal process; FEMA review remains pending and may require future clarifying edits, although Prestigard said substantial changes are uncommon.