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Emergency management secures $50,000 state funding to draft county wildfire plan; consultant to be sought in February
Summary
Roscommon County’s Emergency Management Director reported the county scored 88 on a federal grant application (unsuccessful) but qualified for $50,000 in state funds to write a Community Wildfire Protection Plan, with a proposed contract to be presented Feb. 25 and a Sept. 15 deadline.
Vanessa Varner, Roscommon County Emergency Management Director, told the board on Jan. 28 that the county’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan application scored 88 and did not receive federal funding, but the county did qualify for $50,000 in state funding to write the plan. Varner asked to present a consultant contract for board approval at the Feb. 25 meeting so work could begin Feb. 26, allowing a six-month work period in advance of a Sept. 15, 2026 completion deadline.
Varner emphasized the county's heightened wildfire risk, stating that "Roscommon County is at a 93.9% higher risk for wildfire." She framed the funding and timeline as essential to meet the federal/state planning deadlines and asked the board to authorize contracting next month so a consultant can begin work promptly.
Board members offered no recorded opposition at the Jan. 28 meeting and Varner indicated the state funding would be used specifically to hire a consultant to produce the plan. The board did not adopt a formal motion on Jan. 28 to authorize the contract; Varner requested the Feb. 25 agenda slot for the contract approval.
