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PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA
October 19, 2006

The city council of the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota met in the council chambers in City Hall on Thursday, October 19, 2006 at the hour of 1:30 o’clock p.m. with President Gershman presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Brooks, McNamara, Kreun, Gershman - 4; absent: Council Members Glassheim, Christensen, Bakken - 3.

Representatives from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were present, including Robert Flowers, Regional Director, FEMA Region 8; Ed Conley, Public Affairs Office, Simon Cardenas, flood insurance specialist with Region 8; and Jim Hand from Senator Conrad's Office. .

BRIEFING ON GRAND FORKS FLOOD HAZARD MITIGATION
EFFORTS

Bev Collings, Building and Zoning Administrator, gave a video presentation of flood hazard mitigation efforts including history of the city and history of flooding, that the city lost 11 building due to fire during the flood (historic buildings in the downtown); steps of recovery, and successes - permanent flood protection project, revitalizing of downtown, greenway (developed in conjunction with the flood protection project is est. at 2200 acres), new buildings, including schools, County Office building, corporate center, parking ramp, etc. She noted that the University of North Dakota had great amount of damage, they are a large part of our economy, and they recovered incredibly, and it was couple years ago that they experienced record enrollment.

It was also noted that workbooks have been put together, guides as to what we did, what went right and what went wrong, a guidebook re. flood recovery that is available to any community. Reps. of the city went to Biloxi, Mississippi to meet with and share with their reps. what we did - that we will do that for other communities - the guide contains list of all contacts plus lessons learned. It was also noted that the continuity of business and government and important to make sure that government can run.

Mr. Grasser noted of the levees that the City built, permanent and emergency, not one of them failed, they were overtopped - that we have good type clay excellent for earth building activities, that as matter of fact had to cut holes in the levees to let the water out when the flood water started to recede.

Al Grasser, city engineer, reported on remapping and flood protection project certification. He viewed first remapping map that Grand Forks was dealing with and was the result of the 2003 flood insurance study - that the Corps through FEMA are looking at flood risk, they realized they had to analyze the entire Red River Basin from Wahpeton to the Canadian border. The current map was based on flood flow of 89,000 c.f.s. and new flood rates are 106,000 c.f.s., and peak flow during 1997 was 135-139-140,000 c.f.s. He indicated areas that would be within the 100 year flood plain, areas of 500 year flood which is not regulated but is a little higher ground. The map is based on a certain degree of accuracy but knew would be inundated with a lot of requests to verify elevations whether actually in or actually out and would have been a huge issue for the City to deal with, and status of this is that they worked with FEMA because there was a need to get the information out to the public to know what the risks are and new statistics of where we are at. This map was produced and have a draft in place but final implementations has been on hold because we knew we had the flood protection project coming on the heels of this map. He viewed DFIRM map, which is digitalized firm and is the overlay of what they did as they took the information they received from FEMA and overlaid it onto our existing DFIRM map to see how they coincided with each other, they are basically concurrent lines and additional DFIRM they received is overlay of the existing DFIRM map. The digitalization process is through the entire county. He stated they have asked for 60 additional days to review the map to see if there are any details that need to be corrected, there is public notification that goes with DFIRM and also with the LOMR (Letter of Map Revision). He viewed map showing post project where see the diversion channel, tie back levees and flood project area, and areas along the Red Lake River and the Red River would be new flood ways and that is from levee to levee and forms boundaries between the two communities.

The City of Grand Forks has some ponding areas where water does back up into the system and talked about the size of the English Coulee pump stations and even at that size can't handle all the instantaneous lows and some ponding that does occur for storage. He showed areas of ponding areas that take overland flow that comes within the flood protection boundary; and is a cost savings rather than building pumping stations.

He reported they have filled out application and submitted letter of map revision last December, information has been provided regarding the specifications of the levee system, and the Corps has been working with the two states finalizing their hydrology report and that has to go in next week, conditional letter of map revision, and that in early to mid-November will put out public notifications of our plans to ask for a LOMR, and LOMR would apply only to those areas within the flood protection boundaries. He stated they wanted to make sure they don't confuse the public with notifications going out on LOMR vs. what might be coming out on DFIRM and trying to manage that information system.

He stated that the plan after going through the public notification, is for the Corps to be able to provide certification, normally the Corps would do certification on a fully complete project, but are asking them to do certification on a substantially complete levees, pump stations, etc. that is functioning but probably missing topsoil, seeding, etc. that would be finished up next summer, and are looking for the Corps certification sometime this winter. He stated there is another public notification that goes out with the LOMR and hoping to actually have the LOMR finalized and in place by spring and summer of 2007, that is our timetable and plan and are working closely with number of FEMA people, and hoping to have by 10-year anniversary, but because of public hearing and comment probably not going to meet that.

Simon Cardenas from FEMA noted one is going to be a housekeeping event but the other will be certification with more detail, the part that will affect the timing, where you are now is that you have two time phases in this, one with the DFIRM and one with LOMR, but both will have the 6-months adoption period, once the letter of final determination comes to the city, the elected officials will control the timeline, that when adopt the product they will put a stamped date on that map and that is when it goes into effect.

Council Member Gershman asked if we would be able to get this done by the 10th anniversary of the flood. Mr. Cardenas stated they will meet with the Corps about that certification, that Mr. Haga asked him to make a formal request to the Corps if could have a separate certification and will discuss that. Mr. Flowers stated they will keep measuring in on this, and likes the idea that everybody understands that one of the things FEMA is trying to do is manage the expectations, and if big deal for your city will work with those issues and his commitment is that they will keep the city apprised and if any delays at all to call him directly and have personal commitment will get right on top of it.

Council Member Kreun stated that FEMA is not the first responder, people have to help themselves and then to State government and FEMA is third one on the list and the sooner people realize that the better your operation can function; that we watch this from our standpoint, we didn't know anything about it 10 years ago and in watching these other disasters, and people asking why FEMA isn't there, and that they or the State didn't ask them to come, and an educational process with the nation and how important it is for themselves to be ready before they ask for help from somebody else.

Mr. Flowers stated they can be really good at this if they do this in the right way, but have to be networked, have to communicate and FEMA has to know some things but even to bring in the National Guard, takes several days and that comes from the State.

Council Member McNamara stated he moved to Grand Forks in 1998, there is a leadership component here that this community was fortunate to have in critical times, that when there were decisions to be made had people with leadership qualities who stepped forward and made decisions and then went on and evolved those decisions. He stated he didn't know what seminars you can build for people because it falls on you when it fails, this community was very lucky that the people that were here were here.

Council Member Brooks stated we became better with the assistance and help of FEMA and staff and citizens here are aware of that, tremendous support from everyone here.

Mr. Duquette stated there are people who work for FEMA, Ed Conley, but there are relationships that have developed with FEMA and lot of things went into making it successful and that was critical, and thanked them.

Council Member Gershman stated they risked a lot with us, and we would like to think that we did good, and proud of what we think we have done but couldn't have done it without FEMA.

Mr. Flowers also stated it has been a pleasant visit, been an education for him to come here and see this to gain a real appreciation, and that this is a magnificent project, and citizens have lot to be proud of here; and would make sure that the word gets back to staff and that Ed Conley was the big motivator for getting him here so quickly because he said it would make an impression on you.

Council Member Gershman thanked representatives from FEMA and Jim Hand from Senator Conrad's office.

The meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,



John M. Schmisek
City Auditor

Approved:
______________________________________
Harold A. Gershman, President of City Council