Dexter council adopts 2025 Mower County Hazard Mitigation Plan

The Dexter City Council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 05-26 on Feb. 2, 2026, formally endorsing the 2025 Mower County Hazard Mitigation Plan. The vote followed a motion by Council member Tim Taylor and a second by Council member Christian Padilla.

The resolution records that the City of Dexter recognizes threats from natural hazards to people and property and that the city participated in developing the 2025 Mower County Hazard Mitigation Plan in accordance with federal laws, including the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the National Dam Safety Program Act. The resolution says approval by the Federal Emergency Management Agency will make Mower County and participating jurisdictions eligible to apply for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants.

Adoption puts the city on record as supporting the mitigation goals and actions in the county plan; the resolution text included a formal statement that the city "supports the hazard mitigation planning effort and wishes to adopt the 2025 Mower County Hazard Mitigation Plan." The resolution was declared duly passed and signed by the mayor and attested by the city clerk on Feb. 2, 2026.

Council members present for the vote were Acting Mayor Casey Erwin and council members Tim Taylor, Diane O'Connor and Christian Padilla; Mayor Justin Forthun was absent. The council did not record separate roll-call statements in the minutes beyond the motion and the notation that the resolution passed unanimously.

Next steps noted in the minutes were procedural: FEMA review and approval of the county plan, which the city says will allow jurisdictions to pursue mitigation grant funding. No implementation timetable or funding requests were listed in the minutes.