Commission approves contract to update hazard mitigation plan update

By Beverly Bryant/News Director

Ponca City’s Board of Commissioners approved a contract with Brake and Associates LLC of Manhattan, Kansas, Monday night to update the city’s Hazard Mitigation plan.

The contract will cover updates of plans both for the City of Ponca City and the Ponca City Public Schools district.

The plan was first adopted in 2004 to comply with requirements of the 1974 Robert T. Stafford Act for local communities to qualify for federal disaster assistance grants. A major requirement is for communities to adopt a Hazard Mitigation Plan that has been formally approved by FEMA.

Ponca City has maintained a plan for the past 10 years, which has enabled the city to receive $1.6 million in federal funding for mitigation projects, including the acquisition of flood-prone properties.

The city’s current plan expires in August.

The cost for updating the plan is $65,719, of which $49,289 is provided in a federal grant. Ponca City will provide a $16,430 local match after the board approved the agreement Monday night.

Assistant City Engineer Johnny Barron said three proposals were submitted to update the plan and Brake and Associates was chosen because it submitted a low-cost proposal, the company has the most experience and Ponca City has had a previous contract with the company.

Barron said updating the plan is essential, because without a plan in place, the city would not be eligible to receive any disaster mitigation funds. Ponca City has received funding to pay for flood zone improvement projects, weather radios, a backup power generator for the Public Safety Center and other hazard mitigation projects.

Barron said part of the work in updating the plan involves evaluating the likelihood of each hazard and the likelihood of damage, the severity and the vulnerability of residents.