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Council approves FEMA application, seeks engineering help for Mill Creek Drive fissure
Summary
Cosmopolis council voted to submit a FEMA application to seek assessment and possible funding for a worsening fissure and hillside slide on Mill Creek Drive; FEMA staff reminded residents the application deadline is June 10 and offered an assistance hotline.
Cosmopolis’ city council voted May 20 to submit an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking help to assess and potentially fund repairs to a fissure and slope failure on Mill Creek Drive.
The fissure, described during an extended council discussion, crosses the roadway and appears to be linked to an ongoing hydraulic issue in a nearby culvert and hillside. Council members said the city lacks an on‑staff engineer to measure movement and monitor the site and emphasized the need to prioritize repair funding and monitoring until permanent work can be undertaken.
Mayor Springer said the city should “pursue multiple funding agencies” because FEMA may decline the request, but that the problem must be treated as a top priority. Council member Steve Davis, who put the FEMA application on the agenda, said the agency could send engineers or hydrologists to evaluate the site and provide guidance even if it does not pay for the full repair.
Ledia Figueroa, FEMA’s governmental affairs point of contact for the December floods in the four‑county area, told the council the deadline to apply for individual and public assistance related to that disaster is June 10 and provided a toll‑free number, 800‑621‑3362, and fema.gov as application routes. Figueroa said FEMA will supply a step‑by‑step guide and notify communities if disaster outreach centers open locally.
Councilors discussed interim measures including monitoring the crack, considering weight restrictions or temporary closures if the situation deteriorates, and seeking help from the state Department of Transportation for civil‑engineering or hydrology assessments. Several members also suggested asking Grays Harbor Transit to reroute heavy buses away from the affected segment to reduce additional loading.
By voice vote the council approved a motion to submit the FEMA application and to coordinate review of the application language with Grays Harbor Emergency Management prior to the June 10 deadline. Council members said they were prepared to convene a special meeting if needed to finalize the application.
The council recorded no detailed engineering measurements during the meeting and said those assessments will be part of any subsequent agency site visits. The city will post progress and contact information for residents seeking assistance or wanting to report changes at the site.
