LCPC opens public hearing and authorizes application for regional CDBG flood-mitigation planning grant

The Lamoille County Planning Commission opened a public hearing on a regional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster-recovery planning application and authorized the chair to sign a resolution to apply for the planning grant. The board also approved a separate letter of support for the application.

Melissa Manka, an LCPC staff member who described the application, said the regional package is part of a larger $10,800,000 set of applications and that the planning component requests about $1,100,000 to advance six projects to roughly 30% design and to fund planning for critical facilities and community adaptation. "This is the public hearing on 1 0 5 CDBG disaster recovery applications," Manka said, outlining the planning, critical-facility siting and community adaptation components. She later clarified the county could lose roughly 56 housing units if all buyouts proceed.

Board members asked for details about staffing and the grant timeline; Tasha Wallace (LCPC staff) said roughly half of the planning award—about $500,000—would support staff over the six-year grant period, with the remainder for consultants. Sam Lotto raised a concern about federal funding stability; Wallace said the state plan for the funds had been approved by HUD in June or July and staff felt "comfortable and confident" with the money but acknowledged that all grants carry process risk.

After discussion the board voted to authorize Chair Caleb Lagoon to sign the planning grant resolution and separately voted to send a letter of support. Both motions carried on voice votes. The public hearing was then closed and the meeting moved to the action-item agenda.

Next steps: staff will finalize the application materials and file the regional planning application by the posted deadline; the board asked staff to circulate any additional forms that require board review prior to submission.