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Flood plain maps a top concern at town hall
Published 7/1/2009 in Local News
By STEPHANIE FARLEY
The flood insurance rate maps the Federal Emergency Management Agency revised, leading to more than 1,800 properties being added to the flood plain in Finney County, brought Garden City resident David Rupp to the City Commission's town hall meeting Tuesday night.
Rupp asked for an update on what the city was doing to help resolve the issue of property being added to the flood plain, why the maps were revised and if the commission anticipates an extension of the Sept. 25 deadline city and county commissioners face of whether to approve the maps.
Commissioner David Crase explained that when FEMA and the Kansas Department of Agriculture first asked to update the maps, the entities agreed because there was no mention of drainage ditches Nos. 1 and 2 being included.
When the revised maps came back, the ditches were included, despite not being included the past three map updates.
Crase and City Manager Matt Allen said the city and county have been fighting the revised maps for more than a year.
"To say that we haven't done anything" isn't true, Crase said.
There were a few questions Tuesday regarding whether the commission will beat the deadline or have it extended to prevent property from being added and the community having to spend extra money on flood insurance and possibly lose property value.
Mayor Nancy Harness said the city is unsure what will happen now that Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky is leaving his post to serve as head of the Farm Service Agency in Kansas for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Polansky's appointment was announced Tuesday afternoon by the Obama administration. The city and county had been trying to work with Polansky to address the revised maps.
"He's leaving, and we don't know how long that position will stay open," she said.
Harness said the main case the city and county have made is that including the drainage ditches is unreasonable.
"The clock is definitely ticking," Harness said, adding she's unsure if the process can be stopped or the deadline extended.
Harness said she takes some comfort in that elevation and other numbers taken locally don't seem to be adding up with the numbers FEMA and other agencies used to update the maps.
"I think there's a case that can be made for that," she said.
The commission also pointed to inconsistencies a $23,000 study the city funded found in FEMA's data.
Crase said the city was attempting to work within the system in dealing with FEMA and the agriculture department because the maps will be in effect and recognized by lending and other entities regardless of whether the commissions adopt the maps. The city has stated the maps could affect a property owner with a mortgage from getting a federally backed loan or subsidized flood insurance.
Rupp asked if the city was considering legal action to resolve the issue.
"Yes," Harness said.
Another Garden City resident, Kenny Becker, brought up again a possible extension before the September deadline. Harness said the city hoped the study, conducted by Wilson & Co. of Salina, could serve as grounds for an extension but that they're not as sure now with Polansky leaving and the deadline growing closer.
Allen urged the group of more than 20 people attending the meeting to keep contacting their representatives about their displeasure with the maps.
"They've been hearing from us for more than a year," Allen said.
Allen said he feels the public contacting the representatives and agencies may have more impact than just the city making the argument. He said it would take the whole community speaking out to get anything done before the Sept. 25 deadline.
"If you need ammunition, Kaleb (Kentner, director of Planning and Community Development) and I can get that to you," Allen said of arming residents with talking points and information.
Harness said petition signatures gathered by the Knock Out Committee, formed to oppose FEMA's proposed changes, have gotten people's attention.
With Polansky leaving, Allen said, the city and county might turn to Gov. Mark Parkinson and continue talking with FEMA, as well as exploring legal options.
Allen said U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback's staff had met with FEMA representatives but that FEMA didn't commit either way on changing the maps.
"We'll keep fighting until this gets corrected," he said.
Tuesday's meeting marked the commission's first town hall meeting. Commissioners plan to hold town hall meetings on the fifth Tuesday of the month and move the location throughout town. Tuesday's meeting was in the courtyard at Garden City High School.
Other topics covered Tuesday included:
- Housing: GCHS Activities and Athletics Director Bill Weatherly said that with construction of the new high school and Sunflower Electric Power Corp.'s planned expansion, there's a need for more housing and he wondered how the city is working to address that need. The city is planning to start offering $1,000 incentives per unit for single and multi-family dwellings to help with new development. The city also has two land locations it's seeking proposals from developers to develop — one piece of land is more suited for residential construction and another is commercial. Crase also said the city's waiving the connection fees for new developments.
- Smoking: Resident Susan Mapes said she understands everyone has rights, but she draws the line at where those rights inflict harm on others. Mapes said she'd like to see the commission keep the smoking ordinance as is. Commissioner John Doll wants the American Legion and VFW excluded from the ordinance because he feels veterans deserve the right to make the choice themselves of whether the clubs have smoking. "I would like to thank Commissioner Doll," Don Merideth said, explaining he feels businesses have the right to choose whether they allow smoking or not. Residents Debbie and Leon Jordan, as well as Lee Gallegos, owner of Time Out, also said they feel businesses should have the right to choose whether to allow smoking. The issue will be up for discussion at next Tuesday's regular City Commission meeting.
- Hazardous waste: Tim Regan, co-owner of Regan Jewelers, 412 N. Main St., asked about the city's plans for the household hazardous waste site the city is planning to locate in the old animal shelter once the new shelter is built. "I've got some nasty stuff," he said. "I need a place to get rid of it." Commissioners said the city is continuing to apply for grant funding for the facility, and the city is budgeting for its share of the project for 2010.
- Transportation: Merideth said he also doesn't feel the city should use tax dollars to operate City Link, the city's fixed-route bus system. He said he shouldn't have to subsidize others' transportation when he pays for his own vehicles and insurance. He said he feels the commission is not responsible for providing for everyone, and that the commission's job is to protect the liberty of Garden City residents. Harness said City Link and the need for public transportation came from the community expressing a desire for the service through public meetings and forums.
Found 1 comment(s)!
Smoking
Susan Mapes is worried about smoking and everyone's rights. How about all the obese people I have to help pay insurance for? They are causing more health problems than any smoker has.
Posted by: Joe Haddican on 7/1/2009