Adams Seeks Input on Hazard Mitigation Plan
ADAMS, Mss. — The town's is looking for public input on its completed hazard mitigation draft plan.
Interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan told the Selectmen on Wednesday that earlier this week a public meeting was held go over the completed draft.
"The draft plan is now complete and it addresses action that can eliminate or reduce the risk to life or property in the event of a natural disaster," she said.
Town officials began working on the plan last year after receiving grant funds to bring on the assistance of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. Interest in forming the plan was sparked after the two September floods that caused more than $2 million in damage throughout town.
These storms only affected Adams so there was little in the way of Federal or Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency grants for which the town could apply. However, with a completed plan, more funding will be available to the town.
"An approved plan is required for a municipality to be eligible for FEMA or MEMA funding," Cesan said. "It is part of a broader effort to try to get grant funding to address some of the damage that the town received in September."
But before the town submits the plan to FEMA it wants input from the public so the draft plan has been posted on the town's website.
"Any comments from the board or the public would be appreciated," she said. "We want to make it the best effort possible so the plan will serve the town well."
The town will seek input until Feb 12.
The selectmen said they were happy that the plan is coming to completion.
"I think we have a good jump on this compared to all of the other communities," Selectman Joseph Nowak said. "This is important for us to finish and I think we have done a good job."
In other business, the Selectmen heard from members of American Legion Post 160 during public comment about possibly establishing a veteran's property tax work-off program.
The plan would work similar to the senior citizen's tax work-off program the town established last year and would allow veterans, who have been honorably discharged, to complete tasks for the town and receive credit toward their property taxes.
Seniors ages 60 and above are eligible for the senior program so veterans would have to be under this age to apply for the veteran's tax work off program.
The Selectmen liked the idea but had to wait until next meeting to consider the program because it was not officially on the agenda.
"I think it is a great way to reach out to help the veterans," Nowak said. "At face value, I think it is a great idea."
Tags: hazard mitigation, property taxes,
