Regional planners warn emergency-management services face funding squeeze

Sean Coleman, the regional planning commission's senior planner, told the Northwest Regional Planning Commission that recent federal funding changes have materially reduced the region's capacity to support local emergency management.

"A resilient community reduces loss of life and property, recovers more quickly from disasters, protects its economy and infrastructure," Coleman said in a prepared presentation to the board, summarizing the RPC's role in assisting local emergency management directors, running exercises, and supporting hazard mitigation planning.

Coleman told commissioners that the state assumed control of emergency-plan updates in 2025 after a reduction in pass-through funding, and that the region's municipal compliance rate for FEMA‑approved plans has fallen from near 100% to roughly 71%.

"If a municipality calls now and asks us to help with an update of the plan, of course we're going to do it," Coleman said, but the commission lacks the previous level of funded capacity to undertake all updates proactively. He added that certain federal programs, including the EMPG pass-through and a mitigation grant program called Building Resilient Communities, are currently on hold or canceled.

Commissioners and members pressed Coleman on how those limits translate to services. Chair Peter asked whether the program's flood work is proportionate to needs; Coleman replied that roughly 80% of the commission's effort is proactive planning, with reactive work during the one or two major disasters the region experiences in any given year.

Several commissioners flagged related strains: Mike Bishop, a selectboard member and volunteer firefighter, described recruitment and training delays that keep new volunteers from becoming operational for months; he also warned that dispatching costs paid by towns are rising rapidly and are a major pressure on municipal budgets.

Howard Demars of Grand Isle expressed concern about the "current administration's shortsightedness in funding" regional services. Coleman and other staff said the commission will maintain current staffing in the proposed midyear budget adjustment but that reduced flexible funding limits the commission's ability to take on creative, locality-specific projects.

Coleman described several concrete services the RPC provides when funded: onboarding new local emergency management directors, assisting towns with FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plans (which unlock mitigation grant eligibility), supporting local EOCs during events, and operating a local-liaison reporting program that feeds situational data to Vermont Emergency Management (VEM).

Coleman said the state and VEM are also grappling with funding uncertainty. "Some of their staff only have funding through October if this isn't resolved," he said, adding that federal-level pauses could force FEMA and state partners to prioritize life‑saving activities over broader recovery assistance.

The presentation prompted no immediate policy vote; commissioners thanked staff and signaled they would rely on the RPC's budget proposal and later legislative advocacy to protect core emergency-management functions.

The commission moved on to its scheduled agenda items; the presentation and discussion are expected to inform upcoming budget and policy work.