III. Planning
Process
The planning process utilized in Jefferson County was based on the Section 322 local planning requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and supporting guidance documents developed by FEMA and the West Virginia Office of Emergency Services (WVOES). The planning process included the following steps, which will be described in greater detail throughout the plan:
¨ Step 1: Establish a Core Planning Team
¨ Step 2: Conduct the Risk Assessment
¨ Step 3: Develop Capabilities Assessment
¨ Step 4: Create Mitigation Plan
¨ Step 5: Adopt and Implement Plan
This process was led by the Jefferson County Project Impact members and supported by the planning and engineering firm of Edwards & Kelcey (EK).
A. Jefferson County Project Impact
The local hazard mitigation planning process in Jefferson County began when the area was designated as a Project Impact Community. FEMA Region III and the West Virginia Office of Emergency Services recommended Jefferson County as the fourth and final Project Impact Community in West Virginia based on community commitment and interest. On May 15, 2001 the Jefferson County Commission entered into a contract with FEMA to provide $300,000 to the community for this initiative. The county was also required to provide an in-kind match of $100,000, which was accomplished in early 2002.
The Jefferson County Project Impact structure is made up of a steering committee, public awareness/public education committee, partnership development committee, and risk assessment/mitigation planning committee. The activities undertaken by Jefferson County Project Impact are all overseen by the steering committee, which is made up of county, state, federal, and private entity representatives as described in the table below.
|
Name |
Organization |
|
Darrell Penwell |
Jefferson County OES |
|
Barbara Miller |
Jefferson County Project Impact Staff |
|
Paul Raco |
Jefferson County Department of Planning, Zoning,
and Engineering |
|
Jeff Polczynski |
Jefferson County Emergency Communications |
|
Katherine Dunbar |
Jefferson County Chapter – American Red Cross |
|
John Sherwood |
Jefferson Memorial Hospital |
|
Al Hooper |
Jefferson County Commission |
|
Richard Crea |
Bank of Charles Town |
|
Jane Peters |
Jefferson County Development Authority |
|
Chuck Ellison |
Frontier Communications |
B. Risk Assessment and Mitigation Planning
Committee
One of the early acts of the Jefferson County Project Impact was to establish a Risk Assessment and Mitigation Planning Committee to examine the community’s risks and vulnerabilities to natural and man-made hazards. This committee, formed in April 2002, comprises representatives from federal, county, municipal, and private entities.
|
Name |
Organization |
Name |
Organization |
|
Paul Raco, Chairman |
Jefferson County Department of Planning, Zoning,
and Engineering (DPZE) |
Steve Bockmiller, Asst. Chairman |
Jefferson County Department of Planning, Zoning,
and Engineering (DPZE) |
|
Jay Mason |
Allegheny Power |
Chuck Ellison |
Frontier Communications |
|
Frank Welch |
Shepherdstown |
Joe Walter |
Jefferson County Board of Education |
|
Tim Collins, Mayor |
Bolivar |
Ed Smith |
Jefferson County Ambulance Authority |
|
James Addy, Mayor |
Harpers Ferry |
Dr. Patrick Drohan |
Shepherd College – Department of Environmental
Studies |
|
James Spradley |
Ranson |
Nancy Hatcher |
Harpers Ferry National Historic Park |
|
Scott Coyle |
Charles Town |
Steve Deskins |
Charles Town Races & Slots |
|
Karin Christensen |
US Fish & Wildlife Center – NCTC |
Jeff Polczynski |
Jefferson County Emergency Communications |
|
Darrell Penwell |
Jefferson County OES |
Al Hooper |
Jefferson County Commission |
|
Jeff Levesque |
Jefferson County Chapter – American Red Cross |
Ken Greene |
Region IX Eastern Panhandle Development Council |
|
Sarah Johnson |
Jefferson Memorial Hospital |
Grover Boyer |
Shepherd College |
Due to recent federal regulations requiring local hazard mitigation plans, Jefferson County decided to allocate the bulk of its funding and resources to hazard identification, risk assessment, and hazard mitigation planning activities. The Risk Assessment and Mitigation Planning Committee was tasked with most of the activities related to the development of this plan and was considered the Core Planning Team. Committee members have worked throughout the process from the initial crafting of the Request For Proposal to the final selection and development of the plan (see table below).
Table 3. Jefferson County All Hazard Mitigation Planning Process Timeline
|
Date |
Activity |
Purpose |
|
February, 2002 |
Partnerships formed with community |
Establish Project Impact partnership |
|
April, 2002 |
Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning Committee
formed |
Begin risk assessment and mitigation planning
process |
|
April, 2002 |
Contacted other PI Communities |
For examples of hazard mitigation plans |
|
April, 2002 |
Mitigation 101 Educational Workshop |
Conducted for Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning
Committee |
|
May 28, 2002 |
Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning Committee
finalize scope of services and RFP |
Make recommendation to Steering Committee |
|
April-June, 2002 |
Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning Committee
meetings |
Data collection |
|
June 15, 2002 |
Gather existing information from agencies |
Data collection |
|
June 19, 2002 |
FEMA workshop |
Training on new planning regulations |
|
June 25-28, 2002 |
Revised RFP |
Update to include DMA 2000 requirements |
|
June 28, 2002 |
Revised RFP to Scope of Services Committee |
Review and approval |
|
July 9, 2002 |
Scope of Services Committee meeting Risk Assessment Committee meeting |
Finalize RFP for release |
|
July 23, 2002 |
Steering Committee action |
Approved RFP |
|
July 29, 2002 |
Legal ad for Spirit of Jefferson Mail out legal ad to list of potential bidders |
Advertise RFP |
|
July 30, 2002 |
WVOES Hazard Mitigation Planning Workshop |
Obtain additional information about mitigation
planning and state support services |
|
August 1 & 8, 2002 |
Legal ad to appear in local newspaper |
Advertise RFP |
|
August 8, 2002 |
Prepare Pre-bid packets and presentation |
For pre-bid meeting |
|
August 13, 2002 |
Pre-bid meeting |
Mandatory meeting for interested bidders |
|
August 14-29, 2002 |
PI Office appointments and Q&A period |
Review GIS data and obtain clarification on RFP |
|
August 30, 2002 |
Deadline to submit proposals Deadline for municipalities to name
representatives |
Solicit consultant support For participation on Risk Assessment/Mitigation
Planning Committee to meet multi-jurisdictional plan requirements |
|
September 3, 2002 |
Scope of Services Committee meeting |
To open bids and distribute copies |
|
September 3-9, 2002 |
Scope of Services Committee action |
Review of bid documents |
|
September 9, 2002 |
Scope of Services Committee meeting Notices to short-listed bidders |
To select firms for interview |
|
September 17, 2002 |
Consultant Interviews |
To select firm |
|
September 24, 2002 |
Steering Committee meeting |
Recommendation of selected firm |
|
September 26, 2002 |
County Commission meeting |
Approval of selected firm |
|
October 1, 2002 |
Notification of selected firm |
To commence consultant activities |
|
October 10 & 17, 2002 |
Legal Notice in The Spirit of Jefferson |
Notification of kick-off meeting |
|
October 22, 2002 |
Kick off meetings |
For public officials and general public |
|
October 24, 2002 |
Quarterly Project Impact Partnership meeting Signing of contract |
Hazard identification activity To commence consultant activities |
|
November 4, 2002 |
Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning Committee
(Core Planning Team) meeting |
Focus on risk assessment – data collection, hazard
identification |
|
November 28, 2002 |
Legal Notice in The Spirit of Jefferson |
Notification of public meeting |
|
December 2, 2002 |
Draft risk assessment and maps submitted |
For review by core planning team and steering
committee |
|
December 5, 2002 |
Legal Notice in The Spirit of Jefferson |
Notification of public meeting |
|
December 9, 2002 |
Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning Committee
(Core Planning Team) meeting |
To present draft risk assessment and obtain
comments |
|
December 16, 2002 |
Public Meeting |
To present draft risk assessment and obtain
comments |
|
December 17, 2002 |
Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning Committee
(Core Planning Team) meeting |
Develop goals and objectives for mitigation plan |
|
January 10, 2003 |
Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning Committee
(Core Planning Team) meeting |
Develop mitigation strategies |
|
January 29, 2003 |
Draft Plan submitted |
For review by core planning team and steering
committee |
|
January 30, 2003 |
Legal Notice in The Spirit of Jefferson |
Notification of public meeting |
|
February 5, 2003 |
Risk Assessment/Mitigation Planning Committee
(Core Planning Team) meeting |
To present draft plan and obtain comments |
|
February 6, 2003 |
Legal Notice in The Spirit of Jefferson |
Notification of public meeting |
|
February 10, 2003 |
Public Meeting |
To present draft plan and obtain comments |
|
February 10-March 10, 2003 |
Public comment period |
To obtain public comments |
|
March 7, 2003 |
Steering Committee meeting |
Final plan review |
|
March 10, 2003 |
Plan to WVOES for review |
To obtain state comments |
|
March 13, 2003 |
Final plan submitted to Jefferson County |
Final version with revisions incorporated |
|
March 13, 2003 |
Jefferson County Commission meeting |
Presentation of plan for adoption |
|
March 17, 2003 |
Charles Town City Council meeting |
Presentation of plan for adoption |
|
March 18, 2003 |
Ranson City Council meeting |
Presentation of plan for adoption |
|
April 1, 2003 |
Bolivar City Council meeting |
Presentation of plan for adoption |
|
April 8, 2003 |
Shepherdstown City Council meeting |
Presentation of plan for adoption |
|
April 14, 2003 |
Harpers Ferry City Council meeting |
Presentation of plan for adoption |
|
TBD |
Adopted plan submitted to FEMA Region III for
approval |
Plan comment, review, and approval |
|
TBD |
Plan revision |
As needed based on FEMA review |
|
June 15, 2004 |
End of grant period |
Jefferson County Project Impact |
C.
Public
Involvement
Throughout the process there were several opportunities for
public input. Three public meetings
were held at different stages in the process:
the first to announce the kick-off of the project and describe the
planning process; the second to present the initial findings of the draft risk
assessment; and the third to present the draft plan. Each of the meetings was advertised through legal notices in the
local newspaper, The Spirit of Jefferson. Copies of the risk assessment and
draft plan were made available for the public at various viewing locations in
the county and the municipalities.
Information about the planning process and copies of planning documents
were also made available on the Jefferson County Project Impact website. Comment forms were available to the public
on the website and also at each display location. All comments that have been received to date from the public have
been reviewed and incorporated into the final version of the plan as
appropriate.