Minutes

Bowling Green, KY

March 17, 2005

A public meeting was held in the BRADD Conference Center on Thursday, March 17, 2005. The meeting was conducted by Jack Eversole, Services Coordinator, Barren River Area Development District, with Alfonso Casana, Technical Services Director.

Those attending completed a sign-in card, and received an agenda, and other materials including worksheets for identifying hazards. The meeting was characterized as informal with questions and discussion encouraged. Mr. Eversole discussed the Stafford Act and the work of FEMA and the State Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) in organizing and supporting the planning process. He described how the BRADD Board had encouraged local governments to join in the process and how local officials had helped in forming the five Special Purpose Committees to work with State Climatologist, Dr. Stuart Foster, in determining the natural hazards prevalent in the region. He described how the BRADD website provides access to the planning process.

Alfonso Casana, Technical Services Director, reviewed the data available through the BRADD website created to support the planning effort. Dr. Foster’s 2001 study of natural hazards in the BRADD, FEMA documents, and much of the State’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, are available. The website also provides citizens with the opportunity to review data and the work done. An opportunity is afforeded to make comments or ask questions via the internet. For persons who do not have Internet access, the local libraries have the data on hand and also will provide citizens with assistance in connecting to the BRADD and other related websites.

Mr. Casana discussed the earthquake damage potential from the New Madrid fault. Warren County is threatened, according to current studies. He reviewed the vulnerability rankings in the State plan. Warren County's score leads the BRADD in most categories.

Mr. Eversole then reviewed the process for identifying hazards, profiling hazard events, inventorying assets, and estimating losses. While the FEMA process is directed at assessing property risks, the BRADD Board has stressed the saving of lives and reducing injuries as a mission Those attending were asked to participate in the identifying hazards affecting Simpson County and the region, and the risk of damage each presented. (The consensus list is Attachment A) The problem of karst sink holes was stressed by attendees. Some written comments stressed the importance of care in analyzing the karst flooding problem, and sinkhole collapse. One commenter noted the past record of lightning strikes.

Mr. Eversole noted the sources to be checked in assessing the value of structures at risk, such as the PVA or insured value of facilities.

Mr. Eversole reviewed a list of goals adopted in other counties and discussed their applicability. The participants in the meeting agreed that the goals represented aims with which they concurred. He noted that one of the goals was to have a public much better informed on hazard pre-mitigation activities. The list was adopted by consensus.

Mr. Eversole said the discussion could be continued via the internet. The Special Purpose Committees will review the materials and comments from this and the other countywide meetings in the region. Their work will be formulated into a draft plan and brought back for another round of public discussions in the late spring.

The meeting was adjourned.