MEMORANDUM

Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

THRU: Dale Bagley, Borough Mayor

Craig Chapman, Acting Finance Director

David Gibbs, Emergency Management Coordinator

FROM: Bonnie L. Golden, Grants Manager

DATE: August 21, 2003

SUBJECT: Ordinance No. 2003-19-15: Accepting and appropriating $20,000 from the Alaska Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for preparing an All-Hazard Mitigation Plan

The Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, has funding available for pre-disaster all-hazard mitigation planning. The Borough's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) applied for, and received, funding under this program in the amount of $20,000. Funds may be used for drafting a local all-hazard mitigation plan. Local governments failing to develop plans risk losing eligibility to compete for funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Mitigation plans reduce community vulnerability to disaster losses. An example of a mitigation strategy would be to limit development within the floodway. Another example is fuel reduction or treatment to limit the effect of wildland fire. The Borough does not presently have an all-hazard mitigation plan.

Specifically, the borough must submit a draft plan to the State by September 30, 2003, and a final draft by November 30, 2003. Because the drafts are due to the State within a short time frame, a shortened public hearing date of September 16, 2003, has been requested. The proposed all-hazard plan would include and update the 1996 Flood Mitigation Plan.

Attachments (ordinance; notification letter from State)