Latest public meetings set for county disaster plan update

The latest public meetings concerning the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency’s five-year update of the county’s Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan have been scheduled.

The county must have the plan to be eligible for disaster mitigation funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Libby meeting is 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 9 in the Ponderosa Room at City Hall at 952 E. Spruce St. The meeting in Eureka is 1 p.m. the same day at the Eureka Fire Hall at 10 Utility Way.

The draft plan will be available online before the meeting at www.countypdm.com. Select Lincoln County and enter the password “Libby.”

Emergency Management Agency Director Brent Teske earlier stated in an open letter to the community that updating the plan “will re-examine the wide range of hazards that affect Lincoln County, recent hazard events, the probability of future occurrences, and the vulnerabilities of our structures and population. From that assessment, a plan of action to mitigate these hazards can be updated.”

Though Lincoln County has contracted with Tetra Tech of Helena to help update the plan, Teske wrote that “[community] participation is important to ensure our vulnerabilities are identified and the appropriate mitigation projects included in the plan.”

Following the Nov. 9 meetings, public comment will be accepted until Nov. 30. Tetra Tech will then revise the plan and submit it to FEMA and Montana Disaster and Emergency Services.

From December 2018 to January 2019, the public can again review and comment on the plan. Tetra Tech will then revise the plan and submit the final version to Lincoln County, Libby, Troy and Eureka for adoption.

For more information, call Teske at 406-334-7194.