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Canton Commission authorizes flood‑resiliency grant steps, delays firm selection pending committee review
Summary
City commissioners authorized actions to pursue federal flood‑resiliency grants and approved related match and applicant‑agent motions, while deferring final selection between two engineering firms and agreeing to form a local review committee after public calls for faster action following repeated flooding.
CANTON — City commissioners on Tuesday moved to pursue federal flood‑resiliency grant opportunities and approved staff requests to serve as the applicant agent and to commit required local matching funds, while deferring a final choice between two engineering firms that submitted statements of interest.
The commission voted to authorize the mayor to serve as the applicant agent for the flood resiliency and economic recovery support program and approved a match commitment letter needed for grant applications. Finance staff had notified the commission that motions were required to authorize signatures and to allow amendment of the applications.
The item that drew the longest discussion was the city’s review of two statements of interest from engineering firms to perform hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) studies and related planning. Harley from the Council of Governments (CCOG) explained procurement policy, the typical grant programs (FEMA’s BRIC and Hazard Mitigation via the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management and FEMA), and that H&H studies commonly range in cost based on scope. “I would maybe expect to see, like, a 50 to 70,000 for a study depending on the size and everything like that,” Harley said when asked for a rough estimate.
City engineer Myron of JSA told commissioners the city already has a 2010–11 master drainage study that modeled the town’s basins and several concept projects. Myron said those prior models provide a “good base” that could reduce scope and cost for a new study if the commission wants to build on earlier work.
Several residents urged the commission to move more quickly from study to action. Bob Yelt, who identified himself as a South Pleasant resident, described repeated basement damage and said upstream drainage changes were contributing to flooding in town: “It came from somewhere else, and that’s upstream… Maybe we need some flood control up north of here,” Yelt said. Jeff Skettles added that regional growth and increased impervious surface also change runoff patterns and urged planners to consider impacts beyond city limits.
Commissioners debated tabling a final selection and forming a local committee to review the two SOIs. The motion to table and create a review committee was seconded and carried; staff said they want the committee ready in case the city receives two awards. Commissioners emphasized that surveying or construction should not begin until after a grant award; Harley reiterated grant practice that surveying generally follows an award, and that CCOG would assist with grant submission.
What happens next: staff will accept the commission’s direction to pursue grant funding, the mayor will be authorized as applicant agent for required reports, the city will approve the match commitment, and a local committee will be established to review firm proposals and prepare recommendations to the commission.
Funding and authorities: officials discussed BRIC and Hazard Mitigation grant programs administered by FEMA and the South Dakota OEM; the commission did not award a contract to either engineering firm at this meeting.
