Council adopts 2025 Milwaukee County Hazard Mitigation Plan to streamline emergency response

The City Council voted to adopt the 2025 Milwaukee County Hazard Mitigation Plan on a motion presented during the meeting. Chief Poplar told the council the county plan covers flooding, stormwater and drainage issues, beach erosion, rail and maritime safety, severe winter storms and other hazards and provides a framework that helps municipalities access FEMA support and coordinate emergency operations.

Chief Poplar said only the plan’s signature page had been attached to the meeting packet because the full document is large and was provided as a link. He described the updated plan as an effort to close “gaps or loopholes” identified after the city’s recent August flooding and said adopting the county plan aligns the city with other municipalities and streamlines requests for county support and funding.

A council member moved to adopt the plan and the motion was seconded; the presiding officer called the vote and announced the ayes have it. The action was recorded as an adoption of the 2025 Milwaukee County Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The council did not debate the contents of the full plan at length at the meeting; Chief Poplar said staff will provide the full materials and brief the council further as needed. The next procedural step is routine: the city will file the signed adoption and follow any county-directed reporting or implementation steps required to maintain eligibility for mitigation funding.