Village staff outlines flood projects, requests authorization to seek a watershed consultant (roughly $100,000)

Village staff gave a comprehensive flood-mitigation update covering homeowner elevation efforts, pending grant appeals, and regional coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers.

A staff member reported that 12 homes are pursuing full elevational projects and about 15 homes are being considered for a utility-room mitigation program; two separate federal- or state-funded programs were described as the likely funding pathways. "We have 12 homes that are working with Rod Scott to look at home elevations and look for the grant through the federal program," the staff member said.

The board was told a FEMA appeal related to Tompkins Avenue Bridge reconstruction was filed in June and a determination could take roughly three months. Staff also described a recently submitted green-resiliency grant (project total roughly $9.6 million) that would cover flood-plain restoration and bank work; the presenter said the grant would potentially cover about 90% of that project if awarded.

Staff asked the board to authorize the village manager to solicit proposals for a single consultant to synthesize prior studies (including the SLR report, Beaver Swamp Creek study and other assessments) and to deliver a coordinated watershed plan with prioritized projects and budgets. "We think it'll be about a $100,000," the staff member said when the likely consultant budget was discussed.

Trustees asked whether the RFP should coordinate with the Army Corps project and whether existing county funding pockets could be repurposed; staff replied the consultant would be asked to account for Corps work and to produce a prioritized project list that could be used for capital budgeting and grant pursuit. Several trustees supported issuing an RFP and directed staff to prepare it and solicit quotes, with funding to be considered through the county request and the next budget cycle.